End Notes
Levels of Care
By Marilyn Aschoff Mellor, M.D.
Wendell at 89
flirts with the ladies at lunch,
holds a driver’s license
but his car gathers dust,
disdains walkers and canes,
brushes his hand across the photo
of his wife, lingering,
yearns for an icy beer on a summer’s day,
regales visitors with familiar stories
of trout caught and walleyes lost,
loves to have company but lies down
for a nap when he wearies of them,
offspring and clergy alike.
John at 82
cannot control his left side,
smiles awkwardly at his lunch-mates,
needs a wheelchair or an aide
for most everything,
sits shaved and ready for the daily
appearances of his wife,
wears wingtip shoes despite an ulcer
over his boney heel,
enjoys a shot of smuggled scotch,
politely attends to all visitors, left foot
throbbing, tries not to nod off
even when their chattering bores him,
offspring and clergy alike.
Marilyn Aschoff Mellor is a pediatric emergency room physician at Children’s Hospital in St. Paul.