day 50

"Name?" the desk clerk said to me politely, her pencil poised.
"Name," I said vaguely. I remembered, and I told her.
"Age?" she asked. "Sex? Occupation?"
"Writer," I said.
"Housewife," she said.
"Writer," I said.
"I'll just put down housewife," she said. "Doctor? How many children?"
"Two," I said. "Up until now."
"Normal pregnancy?" she said. "Blood test? X-ray?"
"Look --" I said.
"Husband's name?" she said. "Address? Occupation?"
"Just put down housewife," I said. "I don't remember his name, really."
"Legitimate?"
"What?" I said.
"Is your husband the father of this child? Do you have a husband?"
"Please," I said plaintively, "can I go upstairs?"
"Well, really," she said, and sniffed. "You're only having a baby."