The knee

I’m getting sore , a bit of fluid is building . Hmmmm , not the place I thought I’d be to be broaching this problem . Still , I know it’s not as bad as it could be . Just ask my neighbour? I took old mate to hospital to get his knee replaced . I actually felt sorry for him . Marcus is forthright, loud and almost demonstrative .He ‘s also manic , confident and endearing. I had to witness his will , as he changed details . He was nervous , worried . I could tell he had considered the possibility of dying on the operating table . A knee replacement at 67 is a big operation .It didn’t stop old mate sucking on the green timber at 7 o’clock in the morning as I drove in . “Fuck Marcus , don’t fuck this up . You’re meant to be going under with anaesthetic.” It didn’t perturb him . On leaving the facility , Marcus is super nervous and paranoid . The poor fucker thinks he might die . I’ve got his best friend in the world , his dog Teddy with me as I leave . Shit , there’s been a few times I thought it would be good he might die , but now I’d be stuck with all his mess . I’ve known him for 5 weeks , this time I hope he doesn’t die … The nurses tell me that they will ring around midday and I should be ready to pick him up by 1pm . A whole knee replaced and you’re out in 5 hours ! 2 , 3 , 4 in the afternoon …, still no call hmmmm … maybe something’s gone down . Eventually I get a call from the hospital that Marcus will be ready at 7 pm . How did I get to be his primary carer ? I even had to sign him in ! I get the poor fucker into the car with knee strapped to ice pack . First assignment is to go to the 24 hour chemist to get his drugs . I can’t believe that you have to do this after major surgery . Marcus orders me to double park facing the wrong way in the loading bay . I can’t do it , and park in the normal section . The poor fucker then has to walk in with his frame 3 hours after major surgery, in a shitload of pain and then queue up for his prescription. We get in there and it’s packed . 10 people in the line and at least 30 people seated waiting for their prescriptions to be processed . This is a timely reminder of the American system. Marcus hobbles in and pushes straight to the front of the queue and barks out demands to see the manager . All the while swearing out loud that it’s fucken bullshit that he has to go through this . I agree , remember he is insured and this is private , not public . With belligerence he bullies the staff into getting his pain killers . This time I’m quietly happy that he has the personality to pull it off . On the way back he gets take away Carls Jnr and then it’s time for the 2nd lot of prescription pain killers , the Dispensary. He has me weaving through traffic until he finds a good weed clinic in a black dominated area . He tells me it will be cheaper . We head in to a little white room and sign in through a mesh guarded window . These joints are constantly held up at gun point , security is tight . Once they trust us we are lead into the back ‘buying room ‘ . I must say I’ve always wanted to see this . With my heavy Aussie accent and Marcus’s forthright manner at 67 years old, and the fact that he is high on medication ,it soon becomes a comedy act . We’ve got these two young girls in the palm of our hand , and the young couple that also enter are also laughing at us . Buds of all types are on display .Sativa and indigo are the two families . Marcus wants indigo as this gives a body stone . Eventually he buys two grams , a bag of potato chips that are infused with 50 milligrams of thc , a bag of sour worms , and a pop rock ( some condensed highly potent rock of hash and bud enhanced with high dose thc ) . He couldn’t get the fruit loops cereal as they didn’t stock it . Yes , dope infused cereal !! This all cost $60 . By 9pm I’ve got him home and up the stairs , he’s medicated …. for now . My knee , fuck it . It won’t be getting fixed over here anytime soon .