Phone Calls Home

Long lines,
specific times,
15-minute limit.

Automated recording?
Stupid voicemail!
You’re not the person that I’ve been missing.

Bad timing, or am I being avoided?
Worried, I call back-
again, and again.
Still, no luck.

Eventually, it’s time to give up because I’m wasting time and somebody
else wants to call the ones they love.
Paranoia sets in, but I can’t dwell on it before the mission.
Combat operations require my full attention.

Unfortunately, I don’t know when, if ever, I will be able to call home again.
So, I will cross my fingers and send a prayer heavenward until then.

____________________

Lori Butierriesis a full-time caregiver to two children with disabilities. She uses her life experiences and the medical knowledge she gained from serving as a Hospital Corpsman in the United States Navy to help others facing similar hardships. Lori is an author for The Havok Journal, an official columnist for AwareNow Magazine, and a contributor to The Mighty. Likewise, other news sites like MSN and Yahoo! News have also republished select articles Lori  has written. Lori’s writing extends to children’s literature. Her debut picture book, GIFT FROM GOD, was self-published at the beginning of 2021 and placed as a finalist in two categories in the 2021 Next Generation Indie Book Awards. Lori’s long-term goals are to use her writing to educate others about, advocate for, and dismantle negative stereotypes regarding disability, mental health, and the military/veterans community.