playdates & dinosaurs.

we played dinosaurs for 20 minutes.
my leg fell asleep squatting on the hard tile floor.
his little red wagon had been wheeled out to the nurses station.
his room empty, dark, lonely.
his mom disappeared days ago.
she left him with a little dinosaur.

i made the dinosaur eat his toes.
and then he shared his socks with the plastic creature.

he asked for water.
i filled up a girly cup covered with silver sparkles.
this four-year-old boy didn't care.

he bounced balloons on my face.
we had a dinosaur fight.

the nurses wheeled his little red wagon back to room #253.
where he curled up, plastic dinosaur in hand.
and went to sleep, alone.

it was the best playdate i've had in months.