I rarely wait for something queer to
creep into my mind
a cold white cube
a gleamingwhite antiseptic surface
a naked mewling baby shivering atop it
radiant under stark surgical lighting
eccentric blacksilked parents stand at
its head and place their fingertips on the
surfaces edge like a ouijaboard
their fingernails are glazed pink and
undisturbed unworried by anxious pressure
as their baby ratchets into a cry
a white doctor in clinical garb
peering over his tautpulled facemask enters on
sharp black heels that mar the
pearl linoleum
his oiled hair is slick obvious at his
temples and cloistered beneath a surgical cap
he raps the table at the babes feet to
attract the couples attention
Were ready Shall we commence
the male parent nods solemnly
Excellent
the white doctor sets the draped
surgical tray he held down beside the babe
takes up a syringe from it and
displaces the cloudywhite plastic sheath from over
its long silver needle
the eccentrics with a halo of
whitelight across their hips do not blink
with one large hand the doctor
restrains the babe his fingers splay over its belly
and hip his thumb crooked
and pressed at the table
artfully he slips the needle into the
babys femoral artery at the inside of its groin
he descends the plunger its contents
are excreted
the babe tenses is stunned but before
it can catch its breath the syringe slips out
Very Good
a freckle of blood marks the puncture
the doctor blots it with an antiseptic
gauze applies firm pressure the bleeding halts
Very Good Very Good
Any questions
the haloed eccentrics shake their
heads no
the baby shudders
That is expected
the baby shudders and its skin rouges
the white doctor folds his arms across
his chest his right thumb quietly thumps at
his bicep meting out an allotment
of seconds
the baby shudders cranes its neck
arches spastically and emits a bark from deep
in its throat
Very good
the reddened skin stretches to plum
the babes nipples harden it urinates a bead
at a time as if constricted and
relaxed constricted and relaxed
the plumcolouring fades and a robinegg
blue sheen fills
Very good
the eccentrics nod their affirmation
the baby gasps then utterly relaxes
Exactly so This is exactly what we were expecting Excellent
the baby coos
the eccentrics coo
the doctor nods solemnly to them and
retreats
a black nurse enters and wraps the
baby in a thin sheetblanket
unbuttoning her bodice with one hand
she reveals an ample breast and suckles
the babe
in a cradle of light their black and
blue are vivid and astonishing
a sharp whitelaced black pear pressed to a soft whiteribboned blue melon
1255, Saturday, 24 11. 12
