“What have you done in your life that you’re most proud of?” asked the surgeon during rounds.
Like most things on surgery, this was bit of a trick question.
“Getting into med school,” said a few of my fellow students, which was true, but 100% of the people in the room had gotten into med school. That couldn’t be my final answer.
“Medical school and getting married,” said my friend.
This was also true. Finding the love of my life during high school was one of my aces so far.
My turn. I looked the surgeon straight in the eye. “Med school, getting married, and publishing my first poem.”
“Where?” he countered.
“Tesseracts7. That’s a Canadian anthology.”
“Recite it for me.”
I turned red. “I can’t.”
“Why? You wrote it, didn’t you?”
“I can say a few lines, but it’s X-rated.” I glanced at my classmates. “It’s not appropriate. It’s called ‘Quest.’”
I could tell the surgeon wanted to challenge me further. Force me to prove it. But he didn’t want to traumatize the room, so he reluctantly let it go.
As a matter of fact, “Quest” spooked me when I created it. I read Natalie Goldberg, lit some candles, made a collage, and wrote two poems. This one, the third poem, burst out of nowhere.
I might have hidden it, except when I read it to my then-boyfriend, now-husband Matt, he burst out laughing. I submitted it to Tesseracts7, and for the first time, one of my pieces was accepted right away.
To this day, Matt can quote various lines and laugh. He doesn’t read poetry, but that one poem about one man’s bizarre journey, still tickles him.
If you’d like to check out “Quest,” you can now find it in the Weird Storybundle, available for the next 19 days. Pay what you choose, and anything $20 US and over will unlock all ten books, including my own Dog vs. Alien, including “Quest.”
Have a good night!
Cheers,
Melissa