Thread by @gradydoctor

1/
The hospital is on diversion. And is at 106% capacity.

The jeopardy backup system has been exhausted. Because people keep testing positive.

Oh, and the kids' school will be remote this week.
For now.

And the 750 emails I missed on vacation? Everyone is "looping back."

2/
All of this is swirling through my head as I am walking through the hallway at Grady.

*ping*

A text.
A text reminding me to check my email.

Uggh.

I pause for a moment and close my eyes. I take in a drag of air. A simple reset that I do when I need a break.

Woosah.

3/
That pause must've given you an in.

You: "Scuse me, doc."

I slowly opened my eyes and turned to face you. Sitting on the padded seating near the information desk.

Me: "Hello there."
You: "Can I ask you a question?"

I waited before answering. And thought about my reply.

4/
I could speed walk by you and announce, apologetically, that I'm just too busy. Whilst pointing to the information desk and saying, "But they can help you."

Or

I could be honest and say, "Not the best time for me, fam."

Hoping the use of the word "fam" might excuse me.

5/
All in this split second, I eyed you. Wondering what you might want. I thought of the debate I'd once had with my dad about open-ended requests to talk.

Me: "People need to say what it's about when they ask you to talk."
Dad: "Unless THAT'S why they want to talk instead."

6/
You were sitting there with your outdoor coat on waiting for your ride. On your lap was what appeared to be a coloring book. And, next to you on the bench, some colored pencils. Your eyes appeared content behind your mask.

You squinted an eye, looked up, and shook your head.

7/
Even though I was cognitively tired in the moment, I decided to bite.

Here's why:

I've been working at Grady long enough to know that some of my very best experiences here have happened this way. Through interruptions when I'm going from point A to point B.

Me: "Okay."

8/
What you said next was the furthest humanly possible thing from what I imagined.

You: "You ever heard of ROY G BIV?"

I wrinkled my face in confusion.

Me: "Say what now?"
You: "ROY. G. BIV. Do that ring a bell with you?"

I closed my eyes and released an amused snort.

9/
Me: "You mean like. . .the rainbow colors?"

You exploded in laughter, slapping your thigh and knocking the coloring book down. I reached down to hand it back to you.

You: "You the 4th person I asked but the first one to know!"
Me: "Well. I AM a nerd."

*laughter*

10/
You: "Hell, them other doctors looked like they was nerds, too."

We laughed again.

You: "Okay! So I was trying to remember what the 'i' stand for."
Me: "Beg pardon?"
You: "The 'I!' RED, ORANGE, YELLOW, BLUE, SOMETHING, VIOLET. What is the 'I'?"

Aaaah.

11/
I legit had not thought about this in years. But like a lot of remote memories, it bubbled right to the surface.

Me: "Indigo."
You: "Who?"
Me: "Indigo."

*silence*

You: "What the hell is INDIGO?"

*laughter*

Me: "It's like . . . between blue and purple."
You: "Violet?"

12/
Me: "Yeah, but before that."
You: "The violet is the purple I thought."
Me: "Yeah."
You: "INDIGO? I ain't never heard that in my life."

*laughter*

Me: "Like '@Indigo_Girls.'"
You: "Like WHO?"

*laughter*

Me: "Like the band Indigo Girls. They're from here, you know."

13/
You: "If it was life or death for me to know what you was talking about right now, I'd be dead."

*laughter*

I went into my phone and googled "Indigo Girls." Then I showed you the result.

You: "Well, hell. They ain't even wearing purple."

*laughter*

14/
You: "Are they a new group?"
Me: "Actually? No."
You: "What they sing?"
Me: *laughing* "A lot of stuff."
You: "Well play me some of one a they songs to see if it rang a bell."

That's when it dawned on me that I was familiar with only one song. So I admitted it.

15/
My life lens in high school and my HBCU hadn't included Indigo Girls. I thought about the day "A Blister in the Sun" came on when I was with @LesleyMillerMD and how she couldn't believe I'd never heard it.

But I digress.

I went to the song I know and pressed play.

16/
The guitar intro started and we both listened. And for some reason, those lyrics hit me like a ton of bricks.

Especially this line:

“And the less I seek my source for some definitive, the closer I am to fine”

I felt a giant wave of emotion well up in me.

17/
Before I could move into tears, you broke me into laughter.

You: "Nope. Never heard it in my whole life. And I'm in my 60's."

*laughter*

You: "I'm confused about why they ain't wearing indigo."
Me: *pointing* "Her sister works here. I'll be sure to ask her."

*laughter*

18/
Me: "Alright then. Let me get going."
You: "Okay, doc. Thanks for stopping, hear? And for playing that song. I kind of liked the message in it."

I paused and smiled.

Me: "You know? Me, too."
You: "Especially now."

I loved that. So much.

19/
I waved goodbye and that was it.

I'm glad you stopped me. And even though I am still tired, the hospital is still on diversion, and Omicron is still raging, that 2-minute exchange lifted my spirits.

And reminded me of the closer I am to fine.

Yeah.💜