Waiting in the Emergency Room...

The lady next to me seemed to be staring at me and everyone else who was injured or ill, which was everyone in this room except her. She seemed unfazed by all the sight of open wounds, blood and all the germs that must be flying around coming from the coughing man in the corner of the room. I wondered why she was here. She was so strange.

She stared at me again, this time not taking her eyes off me after I glanced back at her. Why was I so interesting to her? Of all injured people, my injury was not the least bit severe. If it were up to me I wouldn’t even be here right now. I didn’t think it was necessary but my mother insisted. She finally spoke. I was startled by her voice interrupting my thoughts. I didn’t really hear her and I am sure my face showed my confusion as she repeated herself.

“Why are you here?”

“Uh…” I was caught off guard by her direct question. “I, uh, I was bit by a dog” Her jaw dropped in amazement. Why was that so hard to believe? The man who hadn’t stopped coughing seemed like he was going to vomit his insides out. I wasn’t even bleeding anymore.

“Did it hurt?”

This lady was too curious. I was unsure if I should actually continue this conversation with her. I couldn’t be rude though. But I really hoped someone would interrupt us. My mom had gone to the bathroom and she was taking a while so hopefully she would pop back in here really, really soon. “Didn’t hurt too much. Its just sore right now.”

She stared at me some for about a minute before asking another question. “How did it happen?”

I seriously did not want to be here. I wanted to go to home right now. “I ran past the dog and it bit me.” I tried not to sound too annoyed. That was the simplest way to say it.

“That’s it?” She wanted more details. Details weren’t something I wanted to give up. I didn’t want to tell the stranger about one of my scariest moments of my life. I suddenly turned the tables.

“Why are you here?” My right eyebrow raising to seem more interested. She was caught off guard by my sudden curiosity. She quickly composed herself and prepared to speak.

“I am a nurse at this hospital but I am not working a shift right now. I like to come by on my free time and talk to those who need someone the most. I want to distract everyone from there sudden pain.”

My heart dropped. I felt terrible. By the way, where was my mother?

“Oh. Well that’s nice of you,” I replied.

After that there were about five minutes of silence. Something I was enjoying and finding peaceful. My mom had come back already but she had to go fill out some paperwork. Again, her voice startled me.

“So, are you going to tell me how this happened?”

I was indecisive. I was very tempted to say no but I didn’t sense any bad in the was she spoke to me. I opened my mouth to speak, about to tell her how everything happened but I couldn’t speak.

“Uh. Hmm. I, I’m not really sure how it happened. It was just how I said earlier. I ran past it and next thing I knew it bit me.”

“What kind of dog? And why were you running past it?” I guess she noticed my change in attitude.

“Pitbull.” That’s right. I got bit by a pitbull. It wasn’t that bad. Everyone will gasps or look at me with wide eyes but it wasn’t bad. “And it was my first day of cross country practice and we were running our warm up around the park when it happened.” I finished to answer her second question. We sat there and she kept me company until my mom came back.

My mom looked upset. “They said you should be fine. We didn’t need to come.” Her eyes looked down.

“Its okay mom. I didn’t mind coming,” I said while looking at my new buddy.