Ups and Downs

Work is always the same. You always take the same car to work, you always park in the same unassigned spot and get angry when a Honda swipes it. You then take the elevator and for some reason you hope no one gets on. The elevators doors close and push button number 10. Hoping the elevator will be one smooth ride, you watch the number go up and crawl and when it slows down you get concerned that someone will get on. We have the same dream everyday for no one else to get on that elevator. Why? Because there’s one of two things a person will do: one is sing on top of your lungs and hope no one hears you. Two: turn up your music on your AirPods and dance like no one cares because no one is. However, there will always be a day where you’re riding the elevator with another person or maybe a huddle of people. Yet, you all stare at the wall or are staring at your phone just to avoid eye contact with strangers, but the reality is phones don’t work in the elevator so you are literally avoiding talking to someone else when you ride that elevator. I think you know where I am going with this…

It was a typical Tuesday in the hospital the intercom beeped and a woman comes on the intercom “Janice Goodman please return to the unit, Janice Goodman please return to the unit, Janice Goodman please return to the unit” the intercom beeped again and silence. I waited by the first elevator of the day and ding. Lucky me, it was empty I popped my AirPods in “I take my whiskey nee—eat, my coffee” I started to sing and I arrived at the ground floor from the parkade. Saved by the bell they would say. I go around the corner and there goes the intercom again “Code red unit 62 main building 6th floor, code red unit 62 main building sixth floor, code red unit sixty two main building sixth floor” I could feel myself smile now. That used be my old unit when I worked there. I don’t even remember the sound of the call bell anymore, there were so many fake code blues it was hard identifying if a patient was really in trouble.

I find the next set of elevators and I get in and lucky me empty again I quickly press the close doors button and I can see a shadow turning the corner. “Hurry up” I plead under my breath when a hand comes through the doors and it stopped the elevator from closing. So close to finishing that song.

“Sorry, did you say something?”

“Yes, where you going up?” I say quickly. That was a nice save by me. I awkwardly smile and she awkwardly smiles back at me.

“12 floor,” she says and pushes the button herself I lean against the elevator wall and then came floor three and it stopped a group of nurses come on the elevator.

“Yeah the new manager, I heard she’s quite rude and like got demoted from her previous position,” said the red headed nurse. Suddenly, the lady I got on with pushed all the buttons.

“No…” I whisper to no one.

“Actually, I got promoted and turned it down because I wanted this job first,” she said as the elevator doors opened on the fourth floor. The nurses looked at the red haired nurse completely horrified and then at the lady who stepped on the elevator with me. We got to the fifth floor and the nurses all got off still completely red in the face.

“That’s embarrassing,” I tell her.

“Ha ha ha no not really. I have no idea who they were talking about,” she said laughing as we hit the sixth floor.

“Wait. What?” I ask her.

“Yeah I was messing with them!” She starts laughing hysterically and I can’t help but join her. What can I say laughter is the best medicine. Eighth floor and two security guards come on.

“Well Janice, it’s nice to see you again,” they say. “Come on let’s get you back to your unit,” they say. “Oh and is this your friend?” They turn to look at me.

“What? No I was just laughing,” I say back to them.

“Yes with Janice,” says the stocky guy.

“No, I just got on the elevator with her,” I argue. Tenth floor I step off and the taller security guard follows me.

“I work here!” I pull out my badge and he studies my face.

“Okay, sorry then. Out of curiosity what were you laughing about?”

“She pretended to be a manager of some nurses that were talking behind her back,” I say.

“Hah! Janice Goodman strikes again” he booms and we both laugh. The second security guard comes off the elevator with a weird look on his face.

“I’ll tell you about it later Paul, “ he says and they both push the button and wait for the elevator.