Ouch!

The experts know what they're doing.

"Ouch!"

"Don't worry. You won't feel a thing," the doctor said.

"I already said 'ouch.' You can't tell me I won't feel a thing after I've already felt something."

"I meant from here on out," the doctor said distractedly.

"Oh. I guess that makes sens– Ouch!! I thought you said I wouldn't feel anything from here on out!"

"Up until just then," the doctor said matter-of-factly.

"What?"

"I just stuck a needle in you. Of course you'd feel something then."

"Well then why didn't you tell me?"

"Tell you what?"

"That I'd feel someth– OUCH!!"

"Sorry. That was my fault that time."

"It's all been your fault as far as I can tell!"

"Look," the doctor stood up and looked me in the eye, "You can't get better without a little pain. It's just the way it is. I know these things. I'm a doctor."

I stared deep into those confident reassuring eyes of his. "I don't know why, but I think I trust what you– YEEEOWCH!"

"My bad."

---

This flash fiction story was originally published on my now-defunct blog Brief Conceits in July 2011.