30 Thoughts
A 32-Year-Old Med Student on Meeting an Old Acquaintance
“You’re in school…Again?”
Pause. Give sideways smile, shrug and say standard line(s):
“Well, had to do something…”
“Yep, I’m a late bloomer, what can I say?”
“Just watch, I’m goin’ to law school next year.”
Keep smiling. (they don’t understand how long you worked, What you gave up, Where the holes are in your lif.)
And the hours.
The hours. The hours. The hours.
You spent doing, well…
“What I had to do.”
So
(Tell ’em that you’re having fun)
“Yep, I’m having a good time partying with the youngsters.”
“Ah, nothing like being done at noon.”
“Hey, and how ’bout those nurses, huh?”
Look around and see their grown-up homes,
and cars,
and spouses,
and children,
and lives
So
(Tell yourself what you always do)
And they finally walk away, laughing softly.
“Ha ha…must be nice.”