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Birth on a Hot Summer Night

By: Charles Giuliano - Nov 12, 2014

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Annisquam 1950s
Sultry summer night
Dad tired
Emergency call
Please take me
Chance to drive the Cadillac
Parked outside to wait
No, come in
Locker room
Doctors changing into scrubs
Idle chatter
Nurse poked in
Patient ready for delivery
Go watch Dad said
Reluctantly
Woman in agony
Never again she moaned
Out it popped all wet and screeching
Staggered down the hall
Standing in front of a huge fan
Catching my breath
Dr. Giuliano the OR is ready
Come along he insisted
You’ll be doing this some day
Another pregnant woman
Out cold
Belly flanked by towels
Swabbed with Mercurochrome
Hovering cowering back
Come closer
Haven’t scrubbed
You’re not touching anything
Stand next to me
Scalpel held like a conductor’s baton
His renowned bikini cut
Cut clamp cut clamp
Instruments flying
Decisive moment he said
Paused
Reached in and scooped
Baby came up
Delivery double header
Gaping wound of blood
Sound of suction
I went down
Came to surrounded by nurses
Are you OK
Fine
How’s the baby
Drove home
Dawn broke
Birth trauma