Prima Facie Evidence

By Michael C. Roberts

My parents were the product of the Dust Bowl, the Depression, and World War II service. After they passed away, like so many of my generation, I found in the basement that mom and dad had saved LIFE, Time, and newspapers heralding the Eisenhower and Kennedy elections, moon landings, and the Nixon scandals. Cardboard boxes contained vinyl records, 8 track and cassette tapes, and compact disks of big bands, symphonies, musicals, folk music, and even a Crazy Calliope recording. There were tax returns meticulously ordered by years and clamped with black binder clips. I found a business envelope with a purple 3 cent postage stamp from 1951. Inside was the yellow Admission-Discharge form from the hospital for my birth. My mother stayed 5 days in maternity care; the hospital charged $85.50. 

My older brother always teased me I had been born in the hospital parking lot and that my father had dropped me while carrying me up the hospital steps. He said that’s why I have a bony bump on the back of my head. On the form, I read that mom was admitted at 4:15pm and I was born at 4:17pm. That’s 2 minutes after she was admitted. So, this form is prima facie evidence that I was born in the hospital. He is a lawyer, so he’ll finagle an explanation around the evidence. He’ll probably say the hospital timed the birth so it would get paid because the bill would not be payable to have the time of birth before the time of admission. But this is my story and I’m sticking to it. And, anyway, he has a “knowledge bump” on the back of his head just like me. It must be a genetic inheritance. I’m framing this and my kids will have to dispose of it. 

Michael C. Roberts has placed numerous photographs in literary outlets and written pieces in
The Human Touch, Invisible City Literary Journal, A Story in 100 Words, Story Quilt, and Silly
Goose.

He is Gravatar: https://michaelcroberts.link

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