Short Story

Dem Bones

Nancy's Notes 🖊️🎶

Denise at GirlieOnTheEdge
is challenging us to write a
Six Sentence Story using
the word “kick”. I threw in 8 other
prompts I had in my back pocket;
this is my response.

Last week I had my bi-weekly (every two weeks) session with my pain management doctor; I always get a perverse kick out of the term ‘pain management’ and feel like I need to say something witty and clever (sarcastic) about it to the insentient people who work there, hereafter referred to as ‘the staff’.

“You know, the term ‘pain management‘ is all well and good however I’m really here in search of ‘pain termination‘”, I mention to the front desk receptionist who is characteristically unresponsive; my darling, unceasingly patient husband stands to the side with a sheepish yet accepting half-smile on his face (sometimes accompanied by a masterful eye-roll) knowing all to well there are times I cannot or simply will not control my Sicilian forked tongue, being the perspicacious and savvy sort that I am.

My doctor’s office is in a building with other doctors so there’s always a soft parade of wheelchairs and people with canes, crutches, walkers or other means of physical assistance going into the various offices; many have spouses/friends/caregivers accompanying them with dogeared paperbacks, sudoku puzzles or endlessly-beeping cell phones except for my husband and me who both have appointments with the same doctor for ‘management’ of our pain, he at 11:00 and me at 11:20, and so we accompany and entertain each other.

A key is needed to unlock the door to the ‘Guest Restrooms’ which are located near the elevators; this is a major inconvenience and I have issues with this arrangement since there’s not one but two ‘Staff Only’ restrooms in the doctor’s office which screams HYPOCRISY considering the patients are the ones who would benefit from having a restroom nearby and because the ‘staff’ sometimes uses the ‘guest’ restroom when they have their own damn restrooms (but we can’t use theirs), and since no one is actually resting in the ‘restroom’, let’s drop the euphemism and call it what it is – a toilet, FFS!

I persevere and consider the walk to the ‘Guest Restroom’ part of my daily exercise but rest assured – I am seething inside and secretly hope there’s a member of the ‘staff’ in the ‘Guest Restroom’ who might accidentally trip over someone’s cane; there are a lot of canes at ‘pain management’.

Speaking of canes, I bring along my bold new walking stick; I don’t always need it but I think it makes me look erudite, sophisticated and elegant in a nonchalant sort of way, even though my knees are barking like angry junkyard dogs; looking good is half the battle.

NAR©2024

Sunday’s Six Sentence Story Word Prompt!
FOWC with Fandango — Sheepish
FOWC with Fandango — Responsive
FOWC with Fandango — Parade
Weekly Prompts Weekend Challenge – Key
FOWC with Fandango — Major
FOWC with Fandango — Persevere
FOWC with Fandango — Bold
FOWC with Fandango — Nonchalant

From 1940, this is Fats Waller with “Dem Dry Bones”

My bold new walking stick, Layla

This portfolio (including text, graphics and videos) is copyright for The Sicilian Storyteller, The Elephant’s Trunk and The Rhythm Section and is not for use by anyone without permission. NAR © 2017-present.

43 thoughts on “Dem Bones”

  2. Oh, man. My wife could have written this. We have lived this. We have even had that very discussion about the term ‘pain management.’

    Also, I love your new cane. I have ‘collected’ elephant stuff since I was a teenager. I lost most of it in a house fire in 2015, but I have acquired several items since then. A cane similar to yours would be an excellent addition! ~Ed.

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply

    1. Ed, I’m sure there are a lot of people who feel exactly the way I do about this subject. It’s maddening, really.
      I’ve had an affinity for elephants for as long as I can remember; they possess many qualities which humans would do well to emulate.
      How awful to suffer a house fire; I can only imagine what you went through. I looked around at a lot of online sites and finally found what I was looking for on Amazon, of all places. I looked under the category of carved walking sticks and found this one made by ArtWalkingSticks. It’s even more beautiful in person and extremely well made. Amazon has quite a collection; my husband chose a dragon design. You may find something to your liking there.
      Thanks for stopping by!

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  3. Let me hop on the brava train with regards to prompt utilization, Nancy.
    Very impressive!
    I have a co-worker who was undergoing “pain management” except I never once heard her say how effective or helpful her sessions were.
    And Nance? Looking good is definitely half the battle!

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    1. Thanks so much, Denise. When the words fit, you just gotta go with them! They were piling up so it was time to use them!
      I guess your friend’s pain management results weren’t much to talk about. It’s an ongoing practice with no end in sight.
      I loved the graphic; thought it look like an eccentric me! 😂

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  4. Worth the read if for only one reason* the approach/avoidance conflict I endure when reading other Sixeseses.

    That is, encountering a new IWIWT**!

    soft parade

    Two words: Damn!

    (serially, N. So simple, elegant and effective. Are any of us in this writing thing for anything less?)

    *no, there are many others, but a guy’s gotta find a hook for a proper comment, am I right?
    ** I Wish I Wrote That

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    Reply

    1. Thanks, Destiny.
      Sadly, I think being on the staff as a receptionist or someone in the billing department for a doctor is a thankless job. My pain management doctor needs to install a revolving door in her office, that’s how frequently the staff changes. 😶

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    1. Pretty damn close, D!
      There are a couple of procedures she does which do help but…..
      Honestly, when I was in the worst pain from spinal stenosis, the only one who brought me out of it was my physical therapist. He has the knowledge, know-how and that magic touch; it took months but his deep massage was the only thing that brought me out of the depths of my pain.

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      1. Not really, it does helps so many people with conditions that don’t go away and can only be managed by these specialists. My daughter in law has migraines and she was helped a lot by one of them.

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  13. Can someone, please, print this out in thousands of copies and make it a mandatory read of all health professionals?
    Or even better, make it a poster and stick (😉) it on their doors!
    Brava, Nancy.
    I support 100% every sentence of yours; and yes, pain management is only another way to say ” We won’t treat the root cause of your pain but we will have you pay for endless sessions micromanaging it”.
    You know I talk from professional experience when I say there is always a way to treat your patients not identified as their illness and/or their cheque book, but with dignity, respect… always a matter of choice.

    PS: 9 prompts?! What’s next, write a whole story out of prompts? 😎

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    1. Buongiorno, Nick e grazie infinite!
      Your definition of pain management is spot on; however it’s too long to ‘stick’ on a door so perhaps we should ‘stick it’ in a more appropriate place! 😉
      Fortunately, our insurance covers every visit and we pay nothing (except if I want PRP which no insurance company will pay for ~ why that is, I don’t know. I’ve never been given a satisfactory answer).
      These visits have become a ‘social event’ for me & Bill, since we always go out for lunch afterwards. And, if I’m being truthful, there are a few procedures which the dr does quite well.
      Perhaps we can work out a deal where I come to see you every two weeks; I can make lasagna and cannoli. And every so often you can come to NY where we can drink wine and go see Joe B. What do you say? You take care of me and “I’ll take care of you.”

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