A three year old girl
gleefully walks
with a swinging gate.
She propels
her prosthetic right leg
with her hip muscle.
Her mother delays
everyone who wishes
to be helpful.
The girl proudly
descends the stairs
without mother’s hand.
She sprints
toward a booth
with pink salt in the shaker.
She hoists herself
up onto the padded bench.
Her prosthetic leg
sticks straight out.
She bends the metal
at the knee joint and loudly
announces the achievement.
Her mother joins her.
She does not insist
on a booster seat or a bib.
They share an order of eggs,
green chile sausage
and home fries.
copyright © 2019 Kenneth P. Gurney
postscript
On Monday, 9 September, about 9:30 a.m. I watched the above scene unfold at the cafe where I do most of my writing. The girl was a delight to watch as she explored the cafe. Nothing slowed her down. I appreciated that the girl’s mother just let her be a kid and did not hover or worry. The girl fell once, but picked herself up and got going again.
Love & Light
Kenneth
Umflop 