the nurse looked at
my face.
"are you a seaman?"
she asked.
"no," I said.
"then this didn't
happen on the job?"
"no," I said, "I don't
work."
"how did this happen
to you?" the
nurse asked.
"a woman, " I explained,
"fingernails ..."
"oh," she laughed,
"well, fill out these
papers, the doctor will
see you soon ...."

there were a long list
of questions like:
have you ever been in a
mental institution?
have you had v.d.?
do you hate your
parents?
do you consider authority
necessary?
do you sleep on your
back?
do you dislike sex?
what is your favorite
color?
how many times a...