ONLY LAST WEEK

I was going to sleep hoping
not to wake up. Now a few days ago I began
instead to drop off thinking of a banana with my
three bowls of oatmeal in the morning, or
hoping instead for Cream of Wheat, but now in
addition I look forward to a walk around the
facility with my brand-new classy Costco
walker with its big wheels and two
handles. I like my
cane, I won't
discard it but won't be
using it much any more, just
now and then for forays into the garden or
to bring along if riding in a car. Wasn't
long ago I spurned
walkers, even
gave one away just like the new one I have now
but now after weeks of the cane this is like
a dream come true: risk-free mobility. So
tomorrow even before the oatmeal I'll be
cruising the gray-carpeted halls with my
walker, lording it now over my former
peers the poor
cane-travelers. Then after breakfast maybe I'll go
out around the building to check on the big
thistle I want to sketch. When you want to draw
(or photograph) something alive it is well to do so
now, not tomorrow: tomorrow came and the
bloom had curled up to cuddle its
seed so now I'm waiting for the
next one. And I will be able to
sketch it sitting down - in the new
walker - not standing up as I
would have had to before. Life is so
full of riches when you're
getting enough oatmeal.