Banana Leaf Gang

Appointment day and it’s raining; get wheelchair ready,
cover with plastic. Put on raincoat for Dad.
Put mine on. Caregiver Siti puts hers on, too.
We look like we’re heading out for army manoeuvres
three strange green people.

Help Dad into car. I drive. People look at us
at traffic lights. Three hoods.
Poncho-style raincoats, large armholes easy to put on
when his arms were stiff and hard to move.
Odd trio in uniform.

We reach the clinic. Siti and I run
to the back of the car. I hold large umbrella
over boot. Stronger Siti takes wheelchair out.

Positions it by the door of the car
Locks its brakes, both sides. Opens door.
My job: Keep holding umbrella.

She reaches in, executes getting-out-of-car protocol:

Right arm, across his shoulders
bend him forward slightly
Left arm, bring his legs out of car while
pivoting him to face out.
One foot, step (gently) on both his feet
anchor him, he mustn’t slip.
Assume strong, stable, low stance
wrap left arm around his shoulders.
Pull him forward. “One, two, up, Dad!”
In one movement he is standing.

“Turn and sit, Dad.” Shifting him from side to side
she adjusts his weight, pivoting his body.
One hand holds umbrella, my other hand
pushes wheelchair forward, so he feels it at the back of his knees.
“Okay Dad, you can sit now.” Siti’s foot
still anchored on his feet, both arms
around his shoulders, they bend together
and he sits. She crouches
to ground level, helps put his feet
on the footrests. I unlock the brakes of wheelchair

and off we go in the rain into the clinic. One green person rolling second green person being sheltered by umbrella-holding third green person running alongside.

“What did you do when it rained, Dad,
during the seven miles you walked to school
and seven miles back every day?” I asked
when I visited India with him.

We’d heard about this walk
whenever we were lazy. “Oh, when it started to rain,
my friends and I broke a banana leaf from a plant
outside someone’s house. It was a good umbrella.”

“You and your friends running in the rain
A banana leaf gang! Must get to school to learn!
Must get back to do homework!”

Banana leaf gang 2.0
Must get to appointment to learn.
Must get back to do homework.

“Uncle Vincent, it’s pouring! Why didn’t you
take a day off?” his Osteopath exclaims.

Eyes gleam, incredulous. Eyes say: “Day off?
I’ll take a day off when I can eat and talk and walk again.”