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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