low on fluids

i ask her why

she's being so crazy lately,

nutty

as a christmas

fruitcake.

there's a strange

look in her eyes,

her voice

deep and dark,

as i take

a cake knife from

her trembling hand.

i finally get it out of her.

estrogen,

she says, weeping

into

her third piece of pie.

my doctor says

i'm low on estrogen.

how much?

i ask her.

a quart, a pint, a vial?

where do you

buy it?

maybe we can check

jiffy lube,

i think i have a coupon.

oh quit joking around,

she says,

getting the vanilla

ice-cream from the fridge.

this is serious,

you have no idea how hard

it is being

a woman.

so i've heard, i tell her.

so i've heard.

nearly every day.