Vacation

Written by Jacob Ibrag

Just five more days. Work will have to wait

and miss me. Planned every second of the next week.

Four days left, I wake with a sore throat. No big deal,

it’ll expire before day’s end. Three days remain, I wake

with a fever. Are you kidding me? Universe, please relax.

Let me win, just this one time. Forced to be on sick leave.

One day left, I wake in a hospital bed. How did I get here?

I scream, ‘Need to pack!’ Nurse whispers,  ‘Man plans,

God laughs.’ Remembering, it was Denise. HR

girl insidiously coughed at me. Vacation,

day one. Recovery.

Photography by Fran Carneros