It was 8.50 a.m and everyone was being extra nice.
It was one of those wards in hospital where they probably had to have
‘Extra nice’ training due to the types that came through there.
Even in those surroundings – and that early in the morning
They all managed to keep the grins at max.
I liked it.
It made a pleasant change,
Especially for that place.
The amount of time I had spent in that hospital with
Frowning and depressed morons was incalculable.
I was called over to the desk and the lady started on the usual
Name / age / DOB etc,
I’m pretty sure I got most of them right.
She had on a great deal of makeup,
Her white-blonde hair was both coloured and styled,
I’d say 2 cans of hairspray had met their death that morning.
And her hands were adorned - yellow gold and some zircon rings.
Maybe diamonds, but then again how much could she be on?
More than me still didn’t necessarily mean enough for the real thing.
Her fingernails were French polished, and the tips a metallic silver
With a glitter paint effect.
I looked at her,
I looked around the room,
Down the hall,
At the colour coded walls and doors,
The plants that may have been real or plastic -
You couldn’t tell.
And she didn’t fit in at all.
I watched her while she typed and thought
Does she know she sticks out around here?
All the other nurses and desk staff were well-presented, sure
But dressed down.
In tune with the walls and doors.
Her expression seemed to suggest she was more than happy
With her outfit/hair/fingernail ensemble.
Part of me was so curious to see what shoes she had on
I almost leant forward to peek under the desk...
Just then she finished her questions and her typing,
The clickety-click of those falsies came to a halt.
There was silence again.
‘Ok, you can go back and wait over there now thank you.’
I thanked her too,
She was more than just getting by in amongst all that mediocrity -
She had one day long ago decided on a big rebel yell.
Decided to separate herself from her environment so she could
Manage to get through having to be there day in, day out.
In my head, I quietly applauded her.
Then I sat back down and waited, with a small grin that wasn’t there
Before.
