Them: "Scuse me--did I see you on TV talking about the #COVIDVaccine?"
Me: "Hey there. I think so, yes."
Them: "I liked what you said."
Me: "Wow. I appreciate that."
The wind whipped around as we stepped aside for someone to pass.
2/ Them: "There was one thing I was wishing y'all had talked about. But I guess you can't go over everything."
Me: "You mind me asking what?"
They pulled their coat in tighter. I did my best to look like I wasn't in a rush.
Even though I kind of was.
Them: "It's okay."
3/ Me: "Happy to give it a try if you think it might help you."
Them: *thinking* "I kind of feel like to a doctor it might seem stupid. But I know a whole bunch of people who wonder about this."
Their internal deliberation continued as the wind kept punishing us. I waited.
4/ Them: "Is it a tracker or a tracer in the shot?"
I'd heard this before. But wanted to be sure we were thinking of the same thing.
Me: "Tell me what you mean."
Them: "Like. . . . I saw this thing that said they giving us this shot so that they can keep tabs on us."
Hmmm.
5/ Me: "You know? You aren't the first person to say something like that. I've heard that, too."
Them: "Yeah. Like, if they got all this technology to make a vaccine that fast, they probably got a way to really do that."
Me: *listening*
Them: "Plus, y'all do got tracers."
6/ Me: "So when you say 'tracer' are you talking about something that would let somebody know where you are all the time?"
Them: "Exactly. And also they could do something to you if you go through a X-ray machine. Because a lot of the tracers show up on X-rays."
Me: "Gotcha."
7/ Them: "So that's what's got me saying no. Like, I don't like the idea of somebody tracking me or marking me when I go in the airport."
Me: "Oh yeah. I forgot they have those scanners."
Them: *hard nod* "Mmm hmmm."
*pause*
Them: "I know it sound crazy. But you never know."
8/ Me: "So you are right--we do have some tracers for things. Like, mostly we use them for special x-rays when we try to find where somebody is bleeding or a cancer."
Them: "Yeah, but how we supposed to know it ain't being used for something bad, too?"
I thought about that.
9/ Me: "You know? Let's think this through. So, let's say they did want to put a tracer in us. It would need to go straight into your vein. The vaccine goes in your shoulder muscle."
Them: *listening*
I started to just say, 'It's not a tracer in it.' But they deserved more.
10/ Me: "But real talk--here's what's in it: the mRNA which helps with you making antibodies, some sugar, some salt, and some lipid or fat."
Them: "What else though?"
Me: "I think one of them has some acid that's kinda like vinegar. But I'd need to double check that."
*silence*
11/ I pulled out my phone and looked it up. Right then and there.
Me: "Yeah. One of them has a acid. But neither has the things we use as taggers or tracers."
Them: "Oh, that's good."
*silence*
Me: *looking at my cell phone* "I just thought of something."
Them: *cocks head*
12/ Me: "Anybody who wants to trace us, can do it with this." *holding up phone* "Even if we try to set everything private, this is all they need."
Them: "Damn. I didn't even think about that."
Me: "Like, yeah. Why would you go through all that hassle when you got this?"
13/ Them: "I hate even thinking about all they can know from them phone towers."
Me: "Yup."
I looked at my watch and they caught me.
Them: "I appreciate you talking to me."
Me: "It's cool."
Them: "That part about the shot going in the muscle made sense to me."
Me: "Good."
Her: “You probably think I’m stupid.”
Me: “That’s not true, sis. I’ve worked with you too long to think that.”
Her: “Okay. Well I bet you think me saying no to a #CovidVaccine when I work in a hospital is dumb.”
I shook my head.
2/ Me: “I think you’re amazing. And if you’re holding off on getting it, you probably have your reason.”
Her: *sighs*
Me: “Can I ask you what it is?”
Her: “What—my reason?”
Me: “Yeah. I mean, if you cool telling me.”
*silence*
Her: “Maaan. I just don’t know, Dr. Manning.”
3/ Me: “Okay.”
Her: “Okay?”
I touched her arm.
Me: “Yeah. Okay. I mean. . .We can talk about it if you want. Or not if you don’t.”
Her: “I. . I just. . .” *looks around* “Um, can we chat someplace private?”
Me: “Sure.”
We stepped into a patient room and closed the door.
Him: "Okay, just to be clear: Ma'am, I'm here only to take payment and remove the immobilizers from your tires. I can't handle any disputes or anything."
Me: "Uhh. . .okay."
He adjusted his mask.
2/ Me: "Excuse me, sir. May I ask a question?"
Him: *looking up from credit-card reader* "Yes, ma'am?"
Me: "Is 'immobilizer' a new fancy name y'all use for 'boot?'"
*laughter*
Him: *shaking head* "You funny."
Me: "Immobilizer? This is downtown ATL, shawty. That's a BOOT."
3/ He laughed again and took my credit card.
Me: "Dang, so you must really meet some characters."
Him: *shaking head* "Maaaan, listen. These folks be going off on me. And I be like, 'Look, I'm just here to take your boot off.'"
Me: "You mean immobilizer."
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.”
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 . . . “