Hey there! I’m sorry I couldn’t answer your call. There’s a chance I’m out of the office. There’s a far greater chance you are calling without a meeting or a message and I am paralyzed with my hand wavering two inches above the phone, in another decade waiting for my chemistry teacher to answer the incessant ringing. I can see her redhead turn; red-cheeked she will ask me to go to the office. Somehow 14 was better than 24, so maybe I found a time machine and this is the last you’ll hear from me. It’s a possibility I’m eating lunch, but I’m more likely sick on the bathroom floor again. Maybe I took my mother’s way out. If you leave a message, there’s a 75% chance you’ll hear from me; if you need me again, make sure you shoot me [a message] first.
Maggie Bowyer
[Outgoing Message]
About the Author
Maggie Bowyer (they / them / theirs) is a poet, cat parent, and the author of various poetry collections including Ungodly (2022) and When I Bleed (2021). They are an essayist with a focus on endometriosis, chronic pain, and trauma. They have been featured in Bourgeon Magazine, Capsule Stories, Plainsongs Poetry Magazine, The Abbey Review, Troublemaker Firestarter, Wishbone Words, and more. They were the Editor-in-Chief of The Lariat Newspaper, a quarter-finalist in Brave New Voices 2016, and a Marilyn Miller Poet Laureate. You can find their work on Instagram @maggie.writes.