en la clinica

in the clinic again cleaning his wound, calling him doctor, naming him as one who must help in his healing. he is nine, in first grade, and he says to me: i am not a doctor.
and i tell him: but you could be. what do you want to be, do?
a pause
him: a man
me: but a man needs to work.
silence as i rub antibiotic cream on his foot.
him: with horses. i want to work with horses. and you no?
me: yes, yes. i would like to work with horses too.
i look at him. we smile. i grab a band-aide.
him: and buy a cow
me: a cow?
another pause
him: yes, my dad is going to buy a cow.