Her: “Girrrrl! Who is that random white man all over your face?”
*leans closer*
Her: “Waymint—is that my man #Fauci? Oh, okay, sis. You good.”
Him: “Oh yeeeeah, that’s our dude. Fauci definitely invited to the family BBQ.”
*laughter*
2/ Me: “Plus you know he’ll wear a mask.”
Him: “And he already got a #COVID shot.”
I mean . . how could I resist?
Me: “So what y’all thinking about getting a #COVIDVaccine?”
Her: *shrugs*
Him: “Shiiiiid. I already got BOTH a mine.”
Me: “Yeah?”
Him: “Heeeeell yeah. At my job.”
3/ Her: “You wasn’t scared?”
Him: *shaking head* “F that. I’m way more scared of suffocating to death.”
Her: *listening*
Me: “I got vaccinated, too.”
Her: *swinging head to me* “You did?”
Me: “Yup.”
Him: *gives me elbow bump* “That’s what’s up.”
She looked intrigued.
4/ Him: “Shiid. It’s real in these Rona streets.”
*laughter*
Me: “Where you work?”
Him: “Hospital security.”
We talked about our jobs and our vaccine experiences.
Her: “Y’all got me feeling left out the gang!”
Him: “She’ll jump you in. She work at Grady.”
*laughter*
5/ Me: “Jump her in? That’s hilarious.”
Her: “Where could I get it?”
I shared a few options and showed her a website, too.
Him: “See? Told you Grady would jump you in.”
Me: “You funny.”
Him: “Maybe. But this #COVID ain’t no laughing matter.”
*silence*
Him: “Real talk, tho?”
6/ Him: “I’m glad she joked you ‘bout your mask. ‘Cause I low key thought it was ol’ dude from CNN.”
Me: 🤔
Her: “Who? My boo #AC360?Girl! Bring HIM to the cookout, too!”
1/ A Grady elder once told me that we should all learn (and savor) ALL 3 verses of the Negro National Anthem. In honor of her-- and this historic moment--these @EmoryMedicine#BlackWomeninMedicine have done just that.
Me: *approaching car* "Oh my bad. I thought they called for me."
Him: "Hey Doc . . . almost done." *looks over at co-worker* "She a doctor. Ask her."
Me: *turning to her* "Ask me what?"
She snapped him with a towel and scowled.
2/ Her: "Forget him! I ain't buggin' you out here."
Him: "Doc, you want air freshener today?"
Me: "Sure." *turning to her* "Happy to answer a question if you have one. But I also understand if you didn't want him putting you on blast."
*laughter*
She was limping.
3/ Me: "Something with your foot?"
Him: "See? Tell her!"
*pause*
Her: *shaking head* "My foot be killing me. 'Specially in the morning when I first get up."
Me: "Yeah?"
Her: "Yeah! Like that first step out my bed?" *squeezing her eyes* "Baybaaaay! You talkin' bout some pain?"
You know how much I love you. We’re so close that sometimes we do that thing where we call each other at the same time. Because, in that precise moment, we both felt a cosmic need to connect.
That close.
And, on top of that, you trust me.
2/ I told you that I thought you should be vaccinated. You said something like, “I hear you.” But that? That was before we actually had a #COVIDVaccine.
So I didn’t press you.
But then the news hit. 2 vaccines—and an EUA for them to be injected into arms ASAP.
Yup.
3/ I brought it up again. You answered quickly.
You: “I’ll get it.”
Me: “Wow. Okay.”
And you went back to doing whatever you were doing.
Me: “That's all? Did you want to talk about it?”
You: *shrugging* “I mean. I’m getting it. So . . . “
Them: “Hey doc. . . gon' be a few more minutes.”
Me: *pinching down nose of my mask* “No prob.”
Them: “Sorry ‘bout that. You doing okay?”
Me: “Yup—you?”
Them: “Hangin' in.”
I nodded and stepped over to the side to wait.
2/ Them: *calling to back* “Y’all almost got that Brooklyn Style XL ready?”
Someone yelled back that it was coming out now. They looked over at me and gave me a thumbs up. I returned the gesture.
Them: “Bet y’all super busy. This pandemic is still bad!”
Me: *sigh* “Yeah.”
3/ A man walked in with a fluffy salt and pepper beard peaking around his mask. Without getting a name, they handed him two pizzas.
Man: “Be safe!”
Them: “You, too!”
Be safe.
You, too.
Me: “I love how you know everyone.”
Them: “I do know y’all!”
I stood with my gloved hands folded as she approached my station.
Her: *calling out* “Sorry I’m moving so slow.
Me: “It’s okay. Take your time.”
Slowly she approached, leaning her weight onto a four-prong cane with each step.
2/ She handed me her consent form and ID.
Me: “Hi! My name is Dr. Manning. I’ll be administering your #COVIDVaccine today.”
Her: *nodding* “Nice to meet you. I’m Eloise.”
Me: “Likewise, Ms. Eloise. Thanks for being so patient with us.”
Her: “It’s okay.”
*name/details changed
3/ Me: “Ms. Eloise, you right-handed or left-handed?”
Her; “I’m both handed. I was left but when I was little mama’nem made me learn to use my right.”
Me: *chuckling* “Well, let’s see. . . .which arm do you prefer me to give your shot in?”
Her: “Really? Neither.”