"Masked men with titanium pincers slide silently through the blackened halls." -James Tate, from Return to the City of White Donkeys

Heirloom

The doctor came into the examination room. I’m afraid we’ll have to amputate your leg he said. I looked down at my foot. But I only came in with a broken toe I said. These things are complicated; you have to understand he said. We’ll need to take your arms off, too he said. I looked down at my right arm, then my left. But why would you need to take my arms I said. There are many complications with this sort of thing; I regret to inform you he said. And we’ll need both of your ears he said. I used my soon-to-be disembodied hand and felt my left ear, then my right. What does my toe have to do with my ears I said. It would be too difficult to explain that to the likes of you he said. Just trust me that I know what I’m doing and that I’m looking after your best interests he said. I did. I did trust him. I don’t know whether this was a flaw or not, but I allowed that doctor to amputate all the limbs he saw fit, and my ears. What good are limbs and ears that can become part of some sort of complication at some sort of arbitrary point in the life of the likes of me? I’m very happy now, and I tell you this over and over and over: I’mhappyI’mhealthyI’mhappyI’mhealthyI’mhappyI’mhealthyI’mhappyI’mhealthy.