Children's Bandaid

Vana Maharaj

You entered the pharmacy and walked into the narrow aisle, 

The smell of substances had circulated as the breeze rushed through the door.

"Welcome to Happy Choice Pharmacy," the man in the back of the counter yelled.

You ignored the man and found the item you were looking for, 

You picked me up, 

You set me down, once again. 

You never picked me. 

Instead you picked up the regular bandaid. 

But I've always wanted to be a bandaid. 

A small strip with a gauze pad in the middle, 

Not the regular ones though, 

The ones with children's favourite movie characters or a cool design,

That relieved the pains and aches in an instant.

Your tears that started to overflow - immediately stop. 

The loud alarms that blared - immediately stop. 

Your sniffle started to tremble - immediately stop 

It's a miracle, huh?

Instead, I had been replaced by the neutral tone of the skin that was lost,

You drained out like the water that ran out of the tub after a steamy bath.

No matter the scratch, the slit, or how deep. 

You wore the exact same plain, neutral bandaid. 

But how could you —

how could you continue to wear that stupid, idiotic, useless bandaid?

I tried to rip the layers of acrylate from your skin, 

But wouldn't let me. 

I was replaced by the ordinary choice. 

Your stories became dry and cold like the frozen dinner stuffed in the back of the freezer.

The manipulation that was placed on the shelves of aisle 10.

All because of their normality, 

"It's over," 

I repeat, "it's over."

I wa hidden in the back of the shelf, 

Barely seeing the overhead LED lights that flicker constantly. 

I watched between the iron holes for your arrival. 

I knew you would come someday, 

I was hoping it would be today.

Finally, you walked in once again,

You entered the brightly lit pharmacy and walked into the narrow aisle with iron shelving on the sides, 

"There's no more in stock," the pharmacist said. 

You glanced at the bandaid with the children's favorite movie character or cool design,

That relieved the pain aches in an instant. 

You picked it up, placed it on the countertop and brought the box home.

You stared at the design of the box, 

And you smiled in reassurance. 

You took a few out of the box, 

And I covered your wound, 

As you reset to your existence once more.

I just wanted to be a bandaid, 

But I was more, 

I was the bandaid that children adored. 

I was happy to become a bandaid, 

But not any bandaid, 

A children's band aid.