Waiting in line at a taco stand for my number to be called I started talking to a six-year-old kid kicking his little foot against A curb and waiting for his dad to come out of the bathroom. And he said, “Why do you cough so much?” And I said, “Because I have cancer.” And he said, “Bummer.” And I said, “Yep.” And he said, “Does it hurt?” And I said, “Only when I breathe.” And he said, “Why don’t you hold your breath?” And I puffed out my cheeks like Lois Armstrong and Let him see it and held it for as long as I could Before exploding into a hacking eruption of Stupid sounds and saliva. And he laughed. And I coughed and laughed. And he said, “Feel better?” And I said, “A bit.” And I showed him how much better with my Thumb and index finger. And pointed at a green thread of mucous that had dribbled out onto my chin
n life as i walk on em