Shaken to the Bone
by David Lubar
Devon kicked and screamed and protested so much on the way to the doctor's office for his
annual exam that, by the time he got there, he was too exhausted to do much more than whimper.
"You're being such a baby," his mother said. "You don't even have to get a shot this year. It's
just a checkup."
Devon let out a prolonged moan that might have translated into "Don't wanna" or some similar
protestation if it had been shortened into recognizable syllables. He crossed his arms and
slumped down in his chair.
A moment later, the door between the waiting room and the exam rooms popped open. A smiling
nurse in a white dress said, "Devon?"
Devon stood up and glanced back at his mother. "Go ahead," she said. "You're old enough to see
the doctor on your own."
Devon followed the nurse down the hall, into a chilly room with a padded exam table and a pair
of chairs. He hated the chemical smell of rubbing alcohol and antiseptic soap. As he was getting
ready to moan and groan, he caught sight of something he liked a whole lot less.
He pointed at the skeleton in the corner. "Is that real?" he asked the nurse.
"That's what happens to young men who don't eat their vegetables." She smiled, as if to tell him
she was joking. Then she patted the table. "Hop up here. Dr. Hanson will be right with you." She
stepped out and closed the door.
