Devonne Brown

The first and worst thing I was terrified to do was get the boys’ school shots. It was an unexpected doctor’s office ordeal that I supposed that all children go through. Their doctor, Dr. Brick, my 5 year old twins started the water works as soon as Dr. Brick put his arms around them. “Ian, Nick,” he never called them by name unless he meant business, “you know I would never hurt you unless I told you first.” 

“It’s  my job to protect you and the other children at school from diseases that could make you all very sick or even die.” He was matter of fact, but I was shaking in my boots. I didn’t see this day coming so soon.

The screaming began and they dove under the chairs when Dr. Brick, whose real name was Dr. Rick, signaled for the nurses to come in. They brought in ten syringes, ten various bandaids with cartoon characters, and a gigantic jar of Tootsie-pops. They told me to leave.

My kids, two tiny little five year olds were screaming under chairs, two nurses, nonplussed, with huge needles in their hands were going to stab my sweet angels and told me to “Get Out.” In exactly those words and a tone of voice I haven’t heard before or since, half compassion, half aggravated to the bone.

The world turned black and moved. There had to be an earthquake. I grabbed the doorframe to keep from falling and got a terrible, awful, horrible look from one of the nurses. That look said there had been no earthquake and to get my ass in the chair. This hadn’t been their first rodeo. Giving shots to scared kids was nothing new to them.

Shaking and quaking, I knew the two more nurses who went into the room and shut the door were sent to hold my sweet, innocent babies down on the table. 

I was put in a chair in the hallway out of sight of my guys. I cried with each wail. Two jabs in one leg, one in the other, one in each arm. I could tell who was being shot and when, the howls finally stopped. They had to have died. 

Then they came out, tearless, five Tootsie-pops each and comparing bandaids, Ian had more blue ones than Nick, but Nick had more Hulks, Ian had three Snoopies. They were so proud of their bravery, suckers, and bandaids. 

It was just another day in paradise for those little stinkers.

The nurses walked out with an air of “I told ya so.”