Eliminate the Silver

for Roberto Novo

I choose the single process

treatment to save time and money.

My schedule is so busy these days.

Crisply, I ask Roberto to "Eliminate

the silver." And we both laugh, knowing

that "silver" is the nice way to say "gray."

And we both laugh, knowing that "We're

not getting any younger," which is the nice

way to say we are getting older. Old.

And we both laugh, knowing that laughter is

the nice way to divert our attention from our

presence here, how little time we have left to

make it matter.

He applies color with the brush strokes

of an artist. Sets a timer for 10 minutes.

Scurries off to help another client.

Over a slow, quiet ticking, she tells him

what she needs. And they both laugh,

even as Roberto hands me the bill.

Which is a nice way to say,

the silver is being eliminated

in more ways than one.

by Kathi Georges

02/15/08