That Elusive Fountain

 

Appearances certainly can be deceiving

but despite their faded appearance and

joyless expressions those gathered in

this place have a love affair with life

and they are determined against all odds

to cheat the unctuous solicitations of

the Grim Reaper. They may have lost

possession of many of their faculties

but the urge to survive remains constant

alert and defiant. Throughout the course

of the day they stream, one by one, in

pairs, ambulatory or pushing walkers

alternately being themselves pushed in

wheelchairs, all sharing that one ambition.

Some are new to this unit where the

lighting is maintained in a soothing dim

constancy and many are returnees; the

former for pre-surgical assessment, the

latter returning after open heart surgery

for routine checks. There the survivors

of long lives congregate in their white

wisdom studiously ignoring the presence

of counterparts yet occasionally leaning

forward to enquire of personal experience

as in recovery details by the anxious

willing to break the unspoken conspiracy

of courage in silent aloof indifference.