Shattered Memories

I still see you there
every time I close my eyes
You’re lying on the ground
crying out in pain
I’ve never felt so helpless
as when I heard you sob
“Get a doctor,” I shouted
In hopes someone would hear
“She’ll be ok,” some old bitch spat
“She just fell down a coupla stairs.”
“Get a doctor, call the police,” I shouted back
But she kept on walking
As you were writhing in pain
I asked you if you were ok
and where did it hurt
You asked what happened
“You fell, you fell,” I said frantically
knowing you heard nothing
“Get a doctor,” I shouted, “Get help now!”
“The police are coming,” a homeless man said
“Ol’ Jeb’s gone ta get ‘em.”
I didn’t believe him
“Someone get an ambulance now!” I screamed
You tugged at my sleeve and I looked down
Your eyes were weak and distant as you asked
“Where am I?”
“Atlanta! Atlanta!” I said, “You’re in Atlanta!”
“How did I get to Atlanta?”
I wanted to say something to you,
but it would do no good.
“Where the hell are the police?” I shouted to the man.
“They comin’, they comin’” he said.
“There’s something on my face,” you said.
“What’s on my face?”
I tried to stay calm, “It’s snow my love, just snow.”
“But there’s no snow here.”
It was about then the police showed up
Ol’ Jeb must have got them
They began to ask you questions
questions you couldn’t answer
Age, name, etc.
“Where are you hurt?” they asked
You thought hard
“My head and my shoulder.”
I didn’t smile much
They radioed for an ambulance
that couldn’t make it through the snow
Suddenly you stood up
and nearly fell again
The three of us, the police and I
sat you down on the bottom step
as you winced in pain the entire time
“We have an ambulance coming,” I cooed
“Help is coming.”
“Why is there an ambulance coming?”
“Am I hurt?”
One of the officers leaned in
“Do you know where you are ma’am?”
The look in your eyes changed
a smile crept across your face
“I’m in Atlanta,” you replied.
I let out a silent cheer
and even the snow seemed to stop for a moment
“We visited my parents and were going home,” you continued
“Yes!” I cried out
Relief washed over me
and I began to calm down
“But I thought that was just a dream,” you said.
I tensed up.
I almost broke down and cried right then.
“No sweetie, it was real, it was all real.”
I didn’t get a moment to breathe
because the ambulance showed up
they too began to ask questions
Age, name, etc.
But this time you answered.
With every right answer, I restrained a cheer
When they were done, you looked at me
“So everything was real?” you asked.
“Yes, it was, everything was real
and now everything will be all right.”
I turned to gather our things
but you grabbed my sleeve again.
You pulled me close and whispered
“Don’t worry about me,” you said.
“I never forgot about you.

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