Carolina Blues
Delay Tactics
"Hey, have you finished your transfer paperwork yet?" I stretched my fingers, slipping my favorite ring off and cracking my joints. April winced at the noise and shook her head, dropping a chart on the conference table and slipping into the chair next to me.
"I got two pages in and my pen ran out of ink. Is it just me or did we write less in med school?"
"This is insane. If I knew it would be this much work, I'd have stayed in Detroit."
She slid the chart towards me, taking my pile of forms and pen and leaning on one elbow. "I'll be you if you be me for awhile... I can't figure out what's wrong with this kid."
I took the clipboard, flipping through the sheets and shaking my head. "April, this is classic pancreatitis. You know this."
"Yeah but it gets worse. She got asked out by a really hot guy the other day and she still hasn't called him. What's wrong with her now?"
"Ha-ha, very funny. Do you have a real question about this?"
"Date of birth? And why haven't you called Justin?"
"May fifth, 1994. And that's none of your business."
"It is my business. He's cute and you smile whenever I bring him up. Birthplace?"
"Detroit, Michigan. And I smile a lot. I'm a happy person, bitch."
"Come on, Georgia! He's cute and sweet! And I know you kept that dollar bill."
"Did not!" I scoffed, sliding the chart back to her and pushing away from the table. She followed my lead, her white coat snagging on the door as it closed behind us.
"Dammit!" she shouted as she was pulled back. I snorted a laugh and kept walking, hearing her jog to keep up. "Fine, let's make a deal. If I finish all of your paperwork, you call him."
I shook my head, grabbing my labs from the shelf and heading towards my new office. "We're done talking about this. Not calling him, not here to fool around. Have you seen the negative pressure rooms they have here? This place is incredible!"
She didn't comment, just following me and dropping onto the couch I'd chosen when I'd been offered this job. "This couch sucks."
"You know you can leave, right?" I offered, pointing towards the door. She stuck her tongue out at me and smiled, hopping up and leaving. I waited until she was gone, her footsteps on the tile fading away, before I opened my top drawer. I fished inside for my wallet, opening the zippered pocket and frowning when I came up empty.
"What the-"
"Looking for this?" April asked, leaning against the door frame and waving a dollar bill in the air. I could see the sketch on it from where I sat and she grinned, sauntering over to slap it down on my desk. "Call him."