the photo album

we had reached
the point where we
could lie in bed
and talk about
anything without
any awkwardness
whatsoever. we were
that far along into
it. and so she
felt comfortable
in asking me if i
wanted to see her
family album. sure
i said. i'd love
to see your photos.
and so she walked
across the room
and picked up a
leather bound book,
and brought it back
to bed. here it is
she said and opened
it up. but there
were no photos.
there were only
x-rays. medical
x-rays of broken
bones, legs, hearts
with dye coursing
through the vessels,
a sonogram or two,
an mri of her brain
before and after
the fall. and slowly
as she flipped through
each page, and described
the circumstances
of each x-ray, i
realized how
wonderfully strange
she was and that
gave me a feeling
of something like hope
for the world
at large.