Doctor said no climbing. No getting underneath. No load-bearing activity. Good thing we know some back roads. This cast turned the bedroom to a construction zone Two favorite highways temporarily closed Can’t ride up high, can’t lie down low But that don’t mean we got nowhere to go We read the warnings, followed every line Kept all the heavy machinery confined Then you looked at me with that familiar grin Like, “There’s more than one way to get this job in” No lifting, shifting, pushing through No putting all that weight on you But necessity has always been The mother of invention Your tongue needs a snooze button But I keep hitting “one more round” Every time that poor thing settles I find a reason to wake it back up now Your hands know every back road When the main route’s barricaded We may be under doctor’s orders But we ain’t under-regulated We took the scenic route around Found several exits out of town You handled every curve with care And left no unattended business there The first pass earned a five-star score The second had me asking more By three, I knew we’d found a way To keep the cast and save the day You checked the map from end to end Then doubled back around again That kind of hands-on service proves A closed road only changes routes Your tongue needs a snooze button It’s been pulling double shifts Working every little corner Like it’s hunting overtime tips Your hands keep making house calls With a very personal touch The doctor said avoid the pressure He never said avoid this much We set a cooler by the bed Electrolytes beside your head A damp washcloth, a warning light And emergency supplies for night OSHA stopped by half past two Asked what kind of work we do I showed the cast and shut the door Said, “Restricted duty. Nothing more.” The tongue requested union breaks The hands said, “We can cover, thanks” Then both departments volunteered For eight more rounds before they cleared Now that is teamwork. The first run left me satisfied Warm all over, weak inside The second took its own sweet time And traced the edges of my mind By round five, the room went dim By round six, I forgot my limb Round seven had me seeing stars Round eight required hydration bars You came up smiling, proud and slow Asked if there was more to know I touched your cheek and whispered, “Wait…” “Let me refresh my water weight.” No going over, no going under Still you found a road to thunder No heavy load, no risky climb Just patient hands and borrowed time That silver tongue deserves acclaim Your fingerprints have earned the same The cast may keep us off our feet But limitations breed technique Your tongue needs a snooze button But I hid the clock somewhere Every time you come up breathing I give you that “don’t stop” stare Your hands know every back road Every shortcut, turn, and gate We may have lost our usual roads But honey, this detour’s great Your tongue needs a snooze button Your hands could use one too But until this cast comes off my leg They’ve both got work to do No load-bearing. Plenty of hands-on experience.
