"I'll meet you there, I'm gonna get some coffee first."

While walking laboriously through the looong corridor on the fourth floor, lifting my heavy feet and noticing an ever so slight pain at my left knee, I noticed something: the coffee was kicking in.

Tunneling through my bloodstream, hitting all of the right receptors (adenosine and dopamine), I felt the elevation of life. My mind was quicker - I recalled a few patients off the top of my head which I had to stop by and see, as opposed to 1/2 hr earlier when I didn't know their names and referred to my patient list several times.

My mood was improved - I was tired, focusing on certain aches in my body; and borderline in despair - I knew I was going to be at the hospital atleast another four hours before I could go home and pass out into glorious slumber. I was also angry - recent schedule changes fucked me over this weekend, so approximately once an hour I would remind myself (by chance), become annoyed for about five to ten minutes, then continue whatever I was doing.

This state of improvement is just enough to get me through the morning. Without doubt in the past six weeks I have become physically and mentally dependent on this legal drug. Starbucks, Dunkin Donuts - they really are drug dealers: bigger cups, more sugar, and more gay deals and new trendy drinks. People will buy them, and the men and women in charge will make money and laugh and think of new ways to sell their drug.

Brooklyn and the city for that matter is great when it's nice out. Maybe I just like summer a lot.

A refreshed superspy

It's pretty interesting how one day can suck very badly followed by a glorious one. I felt pretty down on Monday, one reason because it was Monday, another because I've been in GYN clinic for the past week and I'm tired of moody residents/physican assistants throwing me attitude because I don't know the system cold. Further, I am tired of females with vaginal infections, I'm tired of doing pap smears on them, I'm tired of dumb questions ("So like I never used condoms or anything, and I'm having sex with two guys, and I just started with this other guy- am I gonna be ok?").

In this situation, I have a million amusing responses going through my brain while I know I must respond in a professional, informative manner. Patient education is a real thing, a lot of people out there are NOT well informed- why that is, that's there business/social issue.

I got off on a tangent. I described why Monday sucked, now I'll get into today-

I get up like usual, go to the hospital, find out clinic is closed halfway through morning report. It's bitter sweet: I'm pissed no one informed the students ahead of time (it's expected), but I'm fantasizing about my day off at the same time. But do I have the day off? Will the attendings be pricks and make us stick around to do scut work? So much is riding on this, and I pray the attendings will not care about us as usual.

Morning report ends, I see the anticipation in the other few GYN students' eyes, everyone files out of the conference room, and we're standing around on the labor and delivery floor while others go where they're supposed to. I don't waste time. I quickly glance around to see if any attendings have me in their sights........... I look at the large swinging doors, behind it my freedom, and before I know it, I'm rushing down the stairs. I quickly pace to the locker room on five, grab my shit so fast I'm surprised I picked the right coat, find the closest stairwell again (taking the elevator is out of the question, you're bound to run into a physician on your service), and I hit the first floor lobby-

Shit. This can be tricky. A lot of random people going this way and that. I made it down here only minutes after morning report, everyone looked busy, so I doubt anyone I fear running into will be here. Here I go-

I walk quickly, head down, don't look up, oh man, the main doors, once I'm past those, I'm home free, almost there....FUCKING A right!!! The very unpleasant wind chill factor hits my face, I smile, and I'm one block away from the subway.

I felt so good about what I did I became giddy - I felt like a superspy, cunningly escaping the enemy's fortress, the Bond theme begins to play in my head as I stroll down the street. Freedom.

So I got back to my place, made a few imperative school related phone calls, took a glorious nap, went to the gym, I read, and now I'm typing, completely refreshed. Was this destiny? Was I due for a nice little break after yesterday's pinnacle of shittiness? I don't know, I just think it's funny. Sometimes when I can't take much more of one thing in life, a favorable turn of events occurs. Sometimes, not always, but I'll certainly take that.

So I hope you enjoyed this short story. Small things like a Women's Health clinic closing for one day due to a Nursing in service day can mean a lot to some people. I should embrace these things in life more often.