Essential, They Call Me

Roxie A. Williams, LMSW

Artist Dwight White II painted a mural on the side of Lulu’s Hot Dogs, 1000 S. Leavitt St. Brian Rich/Sun-Times

The incessant smell of latex gloves,
I wash and wash again until the skin cracks and bleeds.
Do not cough, do not cough. If you cough…
essential, they call me.

Nine to five, eight to four, four to twelve, twelve to eight.
I show up.
I don’t complain.
I do all I can to avoid death by plague.

I smile
I go to work.
So much panic,
depression,
rage, but
essential, they call me.

We show up.
We don’t complain.
We do all we can to avoid death by plague.

Roxie A. Williams is a twenty-seven-year-old Bronx-native. She is a Licensed Master Social Worker in the state of New York. She graduated from Hunter College's Silberman School of Social Work 2019 and currently is a Social Work Supervisor at two Family shelters in the Bronx. Her passions include helping others, creative writing, sewing and relaxing with her cats. @roxy.gurlonfire