"Good morning, Nurse Newell....how are you liking it here?" asked Dr Julia Epstein of her new colleague, Nurse Harper Newell.
"Fine, Dr Epstein...just to let you know we've had a lot of patients admitted overnight. It seems there was this party and a food bug hit a lot of the guests." Nurse Newell replied.
"Well, just point me in the direction of one of the cases and I'll get to work" said Julia, who was keen to get started.
Case number 1: Abram Montanez, age 16...admitted with acute stomach pains. Diagnosis; food poisoning.
"Doctor...I think I'm going to hurl!" said Abram.
"Here, I'll get you a bowl" said Julia, passing him a stainless steel dish.
"I'm now going to cry out for an imaginary long lost brother who drowned in the river....HUEEEEEEEEEEYYYYYYYY! HUEEEEEEEEYYYYYY!" He said, chucking up his stomach contents. "Oh, oh dear....here comes another one....RALPH! CHUCK! HUEY!"
"Triplets, eh?" smirked Julia. "Well, good news is that we have some medication for you. Take this 3 times a day after meals..."
"After meals? I'm never eating again!" said Abram, collapsing back on the bed.
"Drink this now, and then another after dinner" said Julia, handing him a cup of the medicine.
Julia went around visiting all the other patients. Most had been to this party it seemed and they all displayed similar symptoms of food poisoning. Julia found it hard to get them to eat any hospital food either.
Julia went out front to sign off on some papers concerning Abram Montanez's discharge, which was due to happen some time that afternoon. However, she found herself the centre of some unwelcome attention.
"Hey...hey you!" said a young, but harsh, voice. "Are you a doctor or something? I need treatment! I need attention! Gimme now!" The voice belonged to a boy of about 10...but a brash, loud boy of 10 who didn't like to be kept waiting.
"Nurse...admit this boy....what's your name?" asked Julia
"Villareal...Max Villareal. My dad's important!" said the boy, prodding Julia in the chest with his index finger.
"I'm sure he is but the nurse here will take you to an examination room and I'll be along in a few minutes to find out what's wrong with you"
"Well, make it snappy!" said Max, indignantly.
A little later Julia was good to her word and came along to check what was wrong with the boy.
"Ow! Be careful! That really hurts my ear!" he cried out, as Julia shone a light into it.
"I'm not surprised...it's very inflamed. Now, when did the pain start to come on?" she asked.
"This morning...Last night I had this massive ball of wax buried well deep inside it so I tried to scoop it out with a tissue, but part of the tissue got stuck inside my ear, then I used the lid of a ballpoint pen to try and get the tissue and the wax out but that was too scratchy so I ended up using the end of a dessert spoon...."
"OK I get the picture" said Julia. "I'm not surprised your ear's become infected. Well, I'll give you some antibiotics but you must never use implements lying around to clean out your ears...use eardrops or even a drop of olive oil in future."
Her shift over, Julia headed over to the Blue Velvet where it was Amateur Night...a chance for locals to play on the piano, sing or do some stand up comedy. She had some piano tunes she wanted to try out but when she got there she saw her Auntie Elle run out of the club and down the street.
"Auntie Elle! Auntie Elle! It's me, Julia! Where are you going?" she cried out but to no avail. Her aunt had run right down the street and onto a passing tram. Julia was worried about her...she hadn't been taking her meds and was suffering from big mood swings. She made a note to give her a call tomorrow but in the meantime, the club beckoned.
Julia played 3 songs...House of the Rising Sun, In With The In Crowd and Yeah, Yeah. They seemed to go down well and she was invited to share drinks with some of the patrons...including an acquaintance from the Prankster Association, Nancy Landgraab.
"Intelligent, musical and humorous ...is there no end to your abilities?" said Nancy.
"Well, I merely dabble, Mrs Landgraab" replied Julia.
"Oh please call me Nancy. Now let me introduce you to this fine specimen...Paulo. Paulo, this is Julia."
"Pleased to meet you, Julia" said Paulo...would you care to dance?" he said, with a devil-may-care smile. Julia froze for a moment.
"Erm...I'm OK for now." she said, nervously. "I've been on my feet at the hospital all day and could do with a rest" she added.
"Now, now" said Nancy "all work and no play makes a dull life...let me get you all another drink" she said, getting up to go to the bar. Paulo smiled at Julia again "If you change your mind...." he said, dancing.
Julia let out a nervous breath. "Nancy playing matchmaker again?" came a voice from the table next to her.
"Hi, I'm Brent" said the man at the table. "Nancy keeps trying that with me...'oh why can't a nice young man like you meet a nice young girl?' she says" Brent let out a little chuckle.
"I take it you're not available?" asked Julia.
"Well, not anymore...but I can't say too much about it" he said with a wink. Julia wasn't sure what he meant. "I take it Paulo's not your type"
"Why do I have to have a type?" Julia responded. "Everyone thinks I have to have a boyfriend...I just want to focus on my work for now"
"Oh a modern woman, that makes a change around here" said Brent. "Everyone's looking to score these days except us"
"Are you focussed on your career as well?" asked Julia, somewhat naively. Brent shook his head.
"No, it's not that...I have someone in my life already but I don't think everyone here would understand. I have a friend who is more than a friend but to the outside world we're just friends."
"That sounds complicated" said Julia.
"It really isn't" replied Brent. "It's just the sensibilities of others can be"
"Forbidden love?" asked Julia.
"Frowned upon...in certain circles"
Julia pondered what that might mean...a class divide, perhaps? She thought it best not to pry.
"Well, here's to those who aren't playing the dating game" she said, raising her glass.
"At least not by the official rules" responded Brent.
