So you want me to call you Doctor

he said, 

as I went to inject him with 

anaesthetic.   

I said 

Sure, yes.  That is what I am. 

But feel free to call me 

Whatever you like.   

He closed his eyes for a second 

thinking 

aught, he said

i will call you aught.   

I thought this funny 

But acknowledged him anyways 

With an Ok, Sure.   

(I was busy carrying on with my work)  

he continued  

You see, aught is a good word 

Aught implies anything. 

Aught implies that 

my death and Your death

are held equally 

in the eyes 

of each other. 

You see, i am aught, too.   

(he picked through trash 

for a living)   

I kept injecting him.   

when i die 

You will never know 

that i have done so. 

just as when You die 

i will never know. 

And it will not matter.   

I stopped his talking for a minute 

extracting a molar 

From his gum.   

And when it was done, 

he stood up from the chair 

grinning.   

thanks 

he said 

Doc 

through a clump of gauze 

fattening his cheek.   

I said 

you’re welcome 

any time.   

We shook hands 

and I watched him 

as he walked out into the Haitian sun 

his foot falls kicking up dust 

and leaving behind impressions 

that looked 

just like mine.   

I then turned 

and reached immediately 

for the hand sanitizer 

squirting some 

into my palm 

and rubbing it vigorously 

between my fingers.   

The smell of the alcohol was reassuring.   

For I had no idea what he had been digging through all afternoon.