I'm sitting on the bus. It's early in the morning, too early for some, but just another morning on the bus for me. I'm listening to my iPod as the hulking vehicle slowly rolls along the street in the cold. The ground is frozen, but it's warm on the bus, the hot air from the vents wrapping around my calves. My head nods to the music. I don't really know what I'm listening to right now, but it blocks out the noise around me. A woman with red hair and a determined look on her face is talking, but I can't hear her. She looks angry about something. Behind her is a young couple sitting close together, and the guy occasionally leans in to say something in the girl's ear that makes her giggle. I close my eyes for a moment, and all I'm aware of is the pulsating beat playing in my head. I'm not really thinking of anything.
My eyes fly open. Someone's over-sized book bag just bumped my shoulder, and hard, too, as they made their way down the aisle. Idiot. I glance around to see where we are, but I still have a while until we reach my stop. I click my iPod to another song. A man just got onto the bus, rather stocky looking with built arms and shoulders. He probably works out. Not bad to look at though. I smile to myself as Right Said Fred's "I'm Too Sexy" starts playing in my ears, and I picture the stocky man strutting along the bus while lip syncing. Yeah, I knew I should have had that second cup of coffee before I left my apartment. Honestly, this work schedule is for the birds.
I close my eyes again. And to think I used to miss all this on those days I would drive to town. The screech of the brakes lets me know we have stopped again, and we're at the hospital now. I stand and make my way to the front of the bus, smiling at the stocky man and blushing a little when he smiles back. I wonder if he likes Right Said Fred?
"Have a good one, Mr. C," I say to the bus driver and smile, patting him lightly on the arm. "Be careful on this ice." His eyes meet mine--they look so blue this particular morning--and he smiles warmly. "I will. See you tomorrow, Sweetie," he says. I like him. He's a few years older than me, but I could see us being friends, if we ever had the opportunity to have a chat besides the usual pleasantries getting on and off the bus each day. Still, it gives me something to look forward to in the morning, and I smile to myself.
The thin layer of snow on the ground crunches a little under my feet along the walkway to the trauma unit, and my breath curls up in fleeting puffs of vapor. I swipe my badge and let myself in through the staff entrance beside the ICU. Immediately, the smell of disinfectant fills my nostrils. As I make my way into the building, the heat from the waiting area is almost stifling. Debbie is already at the reception desk taking phone calls as I hang up my coat and scarf. With my clipboard in one hand and a cup of coffee in the other, I shuffle into the lounge to see how things went overnight and review my cases for the morning. Staff meeting is in 5 minutes, so I blow on my coffee and take a couple of gulps.
"Still riding the bus?" asked Debbie. I nod. "It's cheaper. Can't blame you," she added before taking another phone call. I look up and notice a redhead in the waiting area raising her voice a little with the nurse. It's the same angry woman from the bus. I groan silently.
This is going to be an interesting day...
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