He is so thin, I think.

Emaciated, I write.

But what does that mean?

“Skeletal” “Gaunt” “Shrunken” “Shrivelled”.

“Emaciare” is the Latin: “Made thin”

I think it means if you don’t look close enough you might not see him.

You might not see beyond his disease.

HIV, TB, malnutrition, starvation, poverty, oppression, suffering. Hopelessness.

An African disease that is eating our people.

He is nothing but skin covering a frail skeleton covering a frail soul.

His notes say he defaulted treatment. His notes say he does not want help.

But his eyes say “help me”.

He is so thin, I think.

++wasted, I write.

Made thin, I think.