Wednesday 26 October 2016

Burning Woman part 16



The morning after our disastrous dinner I was treated to Morris’ silent treatment. My tentative attempts to start conversation where met with infuriating one word answers. Teenagers argh!
I was a little late for work and the sister in charge gave me a warning. Way to start the morning. Hurrah!
As I do my rounds my day starts getting better. I love the hospital routine which keeps me occupied until the lunch hour. I clock out on the time sheet and head for the cafeteria where my colleagues are already monopolizing the huge central table.
“Hey Rudo come sit with us,” Trevor says in his deep booming voice.
“I’ll be there just now,” I smile as I join the queue. There are only three other people in front of me so it doesn’t take long for me to get served.
“Hi Bianca!” I great the buxom head cook.
“Hi Rudo,” she replies. “How are you doing?”
“I’m doing great, and you?” I study the menu as she finishes dishing for the last person on the queue.
“Same old, same old,” she says wiping her hands on her pristine white apron. “What can I get you today?”
“I’ll have rice and beef stew please.” One of the best things about my job is that the hospital provides its employees with one full meal per shift. This feature has gone a long way to helping me save money and maintain a healthy budget.
Once I have my tray I thank Bianca and move towards Trevor’s table.
“Hey guys how’s it going?” I say taking my place next to Samantha Hove one of the nurses from the casualty ward. I get a few hand waves but otherwise they are too busy sharing the latest gossip to mind me.
“I told you there was something fishy going on with those two!”
“I’m telling you they did it in the storeroom!” Trevor says from across the table. Trevor has forever abolished the ‘men don’t gossip’ myth from my mind. He’s a tall reed thin man in his mid-forties. He’s a security guard in the casualty ward so I see him a lot while doing my rounds. He’s one of the friendliest people around but he’s also a chronic gossip.
“Who did what in the storeroom?” I ask Samantha quietly, totally feeling out of the loop.
“Dr Changa and that new nurse aid Tsakane,”
“You’re kidding!” Samantha laughs at my shocked gasp.
“I kid you not,” Trevor says cutting off Samantha. “I’ve seen them go into that room too many times.”
“But he’s married!”
“So?” Tendai says rolling her eyes at me. “Married men cheat all the time.”
I have to agree to that one. I was the living talking example of cheating husbands. I had a members t-shirt.
“I bet she’s boinking her way to a promotion,” Sam speculates. I have to agree with him. Dr Changa is the head of the casualty department. He could make or break a young nurse’s career.
“Well she’s definitely working hard at it!” Trevor says, making everyone laugh. “She’s in the storeroom at least three times a day.”
“It’s so unfair,” Sam grumbles. Sam is the only male nurse in casualty and if it takes a couple of booty calls to get a promotion then he was definitely in trouble.
“It is what it is,” Trevor says. “There’s nothing you can do about it.”
“Don’t look so sad Sam. Dr Changa always goes after the newbies. He’s always making promises he doesn’t keep,” Cynthia an older nurse says. She’s been working at the hospital far longer than anyone else.
I check the time on my wrist watch and see that I’ve five minutes left. I say my goodbyes and head out of the cafeteria. I don’t want to push my luck by being late twice.

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