last night at this time i couldn’t look up

i could barely breathe.

i had the worst headache i had ever had in my life.

i thought, wow God, you’ve never shown me this level before.

i had the tv on but i had to look at the carpet. my dirty carpet.

everthing looked dirty in my house. everything was the cause of my illness.

my heater was on full blast, i was in my robe, trying to remember if i ate the cold pill already or if i needed one.

i could barely look at the computer but i did a search for Drixoral which was the one pill i knew could defeat the XBI poison

but, alas, the XBI forced it off the market years ago.

i took a sip of water. i tried a bite of a banana. nothing. i’d not eat for another 15 hours.

i slept. i woke. i slept more. i blew my nose into rally towels and tissues and wash rags.

in the morning i rose. would i barf? no.

i awoke to (in)appropriate photos on my phone, well wishes from dignitaries and my neighbor left a box of Girl Scout Cookies on my porch.

my mother reminded me that i always get sick around the Oscars and i do remember that one time that i had kidney stones around this time, so maybe shes right.

all of it was healing to me and i could lift my head.

i walked outside and around the block to the dry cleaners to get my suit for Monday’s Oscar Nomination Luncheon which I hope to work, and i saw a cockroach on its back, legs wiggling in the air

Death was indeed near

and when i returned a minute later

it was dead.