Uncle David

I am 26 in graduate school at UT
Living in married students housing
With my wife three sons and an
Unexpected guest for a few
Day as my brother David
Who is studying music
At the university has
Had his tonsils out
At 20 and is sure
He only needs
Us to keep
An eye on
Him for
24 hours
Until he can
Go back to his
One-room apartment.
Two weeks later David
Still lies moaning on our
Living room couch in
Pain and suffering
Trying to recover
As our five-year-
Old Matthew
Asks him
One
Question
After another
All day long such
As “How do you feel
Now Uncle David?” and
“Does it still hurt when you
Try to talk again Uncle David?”
My wife and I are trying not to laugh
Out of sight in the kitchen as my
Brother looks around for a hard
Blunt object with which to
Wave at his tiny innocent
Interrogator whom my
Brother refers to on
Notepads as Mr.
Torquemadito
From the
Spanish
Inquisition.
The boys ask
Him how much he
Likes the chicken soup
We pour down his throat
As his eyes dart wildly around
In fear of more kids queries
Or yet another kid TV
Program.
David eventually
Rises from his sick
Bed-couch to flee out
Our door to a bus
And the shelter
Of his own
Room
Healing
Eventually
But never again
Asking us to let him
Recuperate on our
Couch where our
Three sons can
Nurse him on
To health
By their
Boyish
Love
For
Uncle David.