The History of Western Medicine

Postcard prose – Issue 6 | August 2009

by Lee Goodman

The year that Godzilla got cancer he nearly ceased his attacks on Japanese cities. He’d rest a giant arm on a skyscraper, inhaling and exhaling his flaming breath, deep and slow. He seemed disinterested, swatting at planes and helicopters like he was waving at someone he knew, or dismissing an opinion.

Japan was concerned. Life was less worth living without the constant threat of danger, fire and smoke in the night sky. Everyone had to resort to playing European-style chess and checkers. Tokyo, sad, lingered and delayed reconstructing itself.

The solution was in the problem. It was determined that the fallout from the bombs had finally turned against Godzilla. When treated with radiation therapy, he recovered. Grateful to the doctors, he is harnessed; a pet in the zoo. People can visit now, but they still prefer the lions.

Takeshi Ito, who portrayed Godzilla in many of the subsequent adaptations and TV movies, got cancer. After chemotherapy, his cancer went into remission. Feeling better, he went back to playing Godzilla.

Ito is by far the most convincing of all the Godzilla actors of his time. Everyone agrees.

Lee Goodman attended Sarah Lawrence College, and received her MA and MFA from The University of Chicago and CSU Long Beach, respectively. Her work is forthcoming in PANK. She lives in California.

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Literary Bohemian

Postcard prose – Issue 6 | August 2009