My son is sick today
Physically sick - with a cold. He’s eight
And he willingly did a Covid test last night

A table is turned
And slow progress is made.

(In the past
Covid tests were dreaded,
Whined about, and
Never done willingly.)

After swabbing his nose
He needed a tissue
To wipe his tears

He explained that
It didn’t hurt
But rather
Felt weird
And made his eyes water

The dog has a tooth infection
I think
She got squeezed in for a visit today
But the vet will be gone next week.

Every time I have to call in sick
Because my son is sick
There is a level of guilt
That follows.

I wonder if I’ll get awarded
Any extra sick time
From the county

I feel like I’m letting down
My coworkers
Since someone else
Is already out today

It will be a tight schedule
With lots of desk time
And I take a deep breath 
And remind myself
That this is not my fault 
It’s the system’s 

Like I told the teacher at Headstart yesterday
After my first class visit in over two years
(She was asking about my former coworkers)
I don’t blame anyone for leaving the county

Everyday it’s a struggle to stay 
But my logical brain
Keeps assuring my heart
That waiting just a bit longer
Will be better in the long run…