[Issue 2022.62]

‘Reasonable Accommodations’, Nicole J. LeBoeuf

Illustrations © 2022 Cécile Matthey

Long before it rises in the evening,
the moon’s already full, has been for hours.
One out of every twenty-eight mornings
I wake up mostly cervine with a sour
disposition. It’s gonna be one of those awkward
days again. At least my boss is patient.
He understands that business casual’s hard
to pull off with hooves. I can’t wear patent
leather shoes or any clothes at all.
My boss says that’s OK, but draws the line
at walking on all fours. It’s not professional.
I’ve learned to go upright and, lest the tines
of my antlers damage the ceiling tiles,
keep my head down, just like everyone else.

First published in Departure Mirror Quarterly issue 2 (2021).

See Nicole J. LeBoeuf reading “Reasonable Accommodations” at Ephemera (starts 0:06:50 in).

© 2022 Nicole J. LeBoeuf

[Issue 2022.62]

Comment on the stories in this issue on the TFF Press blog.