Keep Your Door Unlocked!
Haiku for the sick and lonely
Not fun being sick,
living alone. Keep your door
unlocked just in case...
***
I've written this because I am alright now, almost fully recovered. But most of last week I was sick to the extent where I couldn't breathe and thought I would die of dehydration, arrhythmia, nausea and diarrhea hitting me at the same time due to something bad I ate that completely threw off my digestive system. I lost two kilos (4 lbs) of weight in one day and couldn't keep any food or drink down in my stomach.
I live alone now and every time I had a bout of something during the night last week I thought that I should keep my door open just in case I die and someone needs to get into the apartment without breaking the door. Yes, that's where my mind went.
Why, you'd ask? Because about three years ago now, my downstairs neighbor died that way. I live in a small apartment complex with six units in the same entryway: two downstairs, two upstairs, and two in the basement. We all know each other. We also check on each other from time to time.
Mike lived alone too. He was a Vietnam vet with a host of various health conditions, and a heavy smoker. He lived directly below me and I could hear him shuffling around, coughing and grunting as mobility was becoming more of a challenge for him every day. When he died, I was on my summer break and it took our neighbor Pat a couple of days to find him after someone from the basement apartment called the police and reported that Mike's TV worked loudly non-stop. Pat knew Mike always kept his terrace door open just in case someone needed to come in, and that's how they found him, sitting in a living room armchair with the TV working at full blast.
Sorry for the macabre. But it's the Halloween season, right? Also, this is just to explain why I was largely absent on Vocal last week. Need to catch up on a lot of great new stories.
About the Creator
Lana V Lynx
Avid reader and occasional writer of satire and short fiction. For my own sanity and security, I write under a pen name. My books: Moscow Calling - 2017 and President & Psychiatrist
@lanalynx.bsky.social
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Ditched - Index
This index is just for my subscribers. I finished and published this long story or short novella of 6,000 words recently. I tried to link all previous parts of the story in the next one, so if you went along you shouldn't have been lost. This index is just put everything in one place.
By Lana V LynxExclusive • 4 months ago
Comments (11)
Excellent & thought provoking haiku… as an ex-nurse, I think it’s a wise move, in the circumstances ✅.
Aww, I hope you are feeling better now ♥︎ Its definitely not fun being sick.
Hey, Lana, sorry I missed this! Hope you're feeling better!
so, touching felt these lines Not fun being sick, and living alone. Keep your door unlocked just in case...can imagine what you have been through and glad you are here with us, will mostly check up on you now as a new friend
I'm happy that you're coming around! No dying on us! Not allowed! Seriously though, please stay safe! This is not something I would have ever thought of, but there is reason in it.
So sorry you were poorly! If you got ill enough to need hospitalising, they might need to break a door just to get in and help you to STOP you dying 🤯 So yes, if you get ill, make sure help can get in!
Gosh Lana, I'm so sorry, I had no idea you were sick to this extent 😭😭😭 I'm so relieved to know that you're okay now. I feel so bad because I just thought you were busy but you were fighting for your life 😭😭😭😭😭😭😭
I'm glad you're feeling better now! That sounds terrifying. Smart thinking - macabre, but smart. 💗
the entire back story is a story in itself. I think it is smart that you did that especially if you trust your neighbours
Oh my goodness...I am glad you are ok this week. I sporadically have ponderings about how long it might take for someone to notice my absence - particularly as a teacher with summer holidays. Definitely a macabre thought! x Celia x
Wow. I'm so relieved that you at least feel better now than you did last week, but how horrifying to endure all of that and worry about something like leaving your door unlocked. I'm so sorry. On another note, I think there may be a typo in your haiku: I'm wondering if you meant 'living' instead of 'leaving' (Not fun being sick, leaving alone.?) Anyways, this is definitely an interesting bit of Halloween Haiku preparatory poetry.....