pages The Shakes

by Lynn Kozlowski

Published in Issue No. 28 ~ September, 1999
My son is coming off drugs and has the shakes. Today in the restaurant, he has trouble with utensils. He is having the House Special Noodles in Soup. Shaky chopsticks catch nothing. He tries the plastic Chinese spoon and splashes the soup. People are watching. He is hungry and keeps at it. Little is left from each trembling scoop. He bows his head low over the bowl. I am grateful he keeps at it. He says, “It’s like I have the DTs.” He smiles helplessly, watching his unmanageable hands. I say, “I’m sorry.” I say, “How is it? The soup.”

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Lynn Kozlowski has published in The Quarterly, The Blue Moon Review, The Malahat Review, The HMS Beagle, and elimae. He is also a scientist and has published widely in medical and scientific journals.