Tuesday Poem by maggie signaigo

I remember…
It rained that day
What I wore
How much I weighed
Kevin Costner
On Regis and Kathie Lee
Just juice and toast
For my breakfast
My mom…
Wore her new coat
Long ride in the car
I remember…
I was happy to miss school
My mom…
Seemed different
Talking too much
Silly stuff…what for dinner
I played Pac-Man
Sang with the radio
Madonna…Vogue

Medical building
Cold and impersonal
So many doctors
Why?
Seventh floor…that’s us
Elevators…not my friend
A waiting room
Full of people…waiting
Pretending to be occupied
But really not
Staring at me…waiting
For what?
A blurt? …a tic?
An F-bomb?
They were different
Not like me…
Just my left arm
Sometimes my leg
And words…oh yeah
Words

“Maureen Signaigo”
Finally
A small room
Waiting again…
Strange smell…clean
Fake clean
He enters…my doctor
Talks about me
Not “to” me
To my mom
Very matter of fact
A new word…Tourette’s
An answer? …an excuse?
My mom…nodding a lot
Reaching for my hand
Ten minutes…ten minutes
I remember…
For me…a defining moment
In my life
For him…it was Tuesday