For two years, my sister had sterilized white gauze pieces in a pressure cooker to pack his
two-inch-deep bedsores. Shaved his face. Trimmed his nails and hair. Extracted gunk from his gums.
Wiped and powdered his bottom. Inserted jelly-lubricated catheters, his fingers digging
into her arm. Emptied brown urine-filled bags.
When the time came for Father’s burial, she was led aside. My brothers and male cousins
were assigned the task of washing and prepping his body.
“They don’t know how crumbs collect in the folds of skin under his neck,” she kept on saying
as aunts gathered her in their embraces.
NOTE: “A slightly different version of "A Daughter's Plea" originally appeared in JMWW Journal as part of the “In the Pocket” Issue, September 11, 2018.”
Author Bio:
Sara Siddiqui Chansarkar is an Indian American. She was born in a middle-class family in India and will forever be indebted to her parents for educating her beyond their means. Her work has appeared in print and online. She is also a Pushcart nominee for 2017.
two-inch-deep bedsores. Shaved his face. Trimmed his nails and hair. Extracted gunk from his gums.
Wiped and powdered his bottom. Inserted jelly-lubricated catheters, his fingers digging
into her arm. Emptied brown urine-filled bags.
When the time came for Father’s burial, she was led aside. My brothers and male cousins
were assigned the task of washing and prepping his body.
“They don’t know how crumbs collect in the folds of skin under his neck,” she kept on saying
as aunts gathered her in their embraces.
NOTE: “A slightly different version of "A Daughter's Plea" originally appeared in JMWW Journal as part of the “In the Pocket” Issue, September 11, 2018.”
Author Bio:
Sara Siddiqui Chansarkar is an Indian American. She was born in a middle-class family in India and will forever be indebted to her parents for educating her beyond their means. Her work has appeared in print and online. She is also a Pushcart nominee for 2017.
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