Six People Waiting For Godot

Soon the angels of care will smile and push,

Push the six wheelchair bound patients to their rooms.

The passengers have made this trip before,

Except for Morris, a new case,

Who, like the other five, is destined to stay in waiting.

The silence of the patients is reflected in their blank eyes.

Doris, in the third chair, might speak if prompted.

Unlike the others, her eyes moved, perhaps seeing.

Of the 50 people in this senior end-of-life program

Several can cheer a bingo victory.

Perhaps fifteen could follow the called numbers to their card.

We did not do well locating the patio,

But we did not get lost on our way to the meal room.

Residents were wheeled in.

Each white clothed table seated three or four.

At the next table a woman fought a ham slice

To within inches of her mouth

The third person at our table was unable to speak audibly,

And I saw a thousand tomorrows.

I left Ray as lunch was ending.

He was not ready for this place

He could still laugh.

He did not belong in a row of becalmed living dead…yet.