* * Anonymous Doc: New Friend

Saturday, May 26, 2012

New Friend

There's a huge cockroach in the bathroom, working the night shift with me.  Every night, he's there.  Like me, all alone.  Like me, looking pretty sleepy.  The day resident says he hasn't noticed him.  I think he only comes out when I'm there.  Maybe he likes me.  I've started checking in to see how he's doing.  I'll open the door, see if he's still there.  He is.  I don't know what he's eating.  I kind of want to bring him food.  Or maybe just IV fluids, if he's here for a procedure or something.  I should probably check his chart before I give him anything to eat.  I don't know if he has any restrictions or allergies.  He doesn't seem to have any family visiting, at least none that I've seen.  He seems lonely.  I wonder what he's thinking about.  I wonder if he realizes there are places that are a lot nicer to live.  Or at least with better food, and more of it.  Maybe he has thousands of family members, under the floorboards somewhere.  Maybe I just haven't seen them.  Maybe they've sent him away for some reason.  Maybe he's the lookout.  Maybe he got lost.  Maybe he needs my help to reunite him with the rest of his tribe.  I just checked on him again.  He's still there.  I gave him a nod.  Not sure how friendly he is.  I've been going down the stairs to use a different bathroom, because I don't want to disturb him.  It wouldn't be polite for me to intrude.  For all I know, he likes the peace and quiet.

Yep, busy night over here.

5 comments:

  1. You spend too much time in that hospital. Really, it's bad for you.

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  2. Love it!!! Hope nobody squashes him.

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  3. somehow, i feel you are more lonly than the cockroach...

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  4. Brilliant post. Very Bukowski.

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