How to be Nice

School started again….and in October I’ll have to work in the hospital for a month again.

A real pleasure…

Just one thing I hate:

Coming in a room and opening my mouth. Now according to my grandmother,I am not always exactly ‘at loss at what to say’. But when I have to go into a patients room, my face freezes, my words get stuck somewhere far away at the other end of my brains…I feel like I don’t even have any brains,actually,at such a dramatic moment.

And what makes it ten or eleven times worse is when a nurse comes in the room with me and hears the silence…and in later times tells my teacher …

Really quite horrifying.
Now, it is not only not knowing what to say and being shy. It is frantically trying to sound natural and try to strike up a good little boring conversation while someone is listening who you know can give you the worst grades in history if they accidentally or not accidentally have a bad day.

So, I said to myself,says I, ‘I shall make up a nice ‘goodmorning speech’ and everything will be allright!’

Speech 1 : ‘Hi! Goodmorning! How did you sleep? Didn’t you have too many blankets? Was it too cold or too hot or right in the middle in between? …. *um*…. Mind if I take your temperature? ‘

Maybe that sounds like a waterfall that suddenly stops and ends in a little squirt out of a water balloon.

Speech 2.

‘Naomi,an apostle of Jesus Christ by the will of God,

To the saints who are in the hospital,and faithful in Christ Jesus.

Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.

Goodmorning,may I take thine temperature?’

mmm…too heavy so early in the morning.And I might end up in the psychiatry.

Speech 3.

‘Goodmorning! Did you sleep well? Really? Well,that’s nice to hear. Because I slept terrible. The airplanes flying above the house kept me awake.A terrible shame.And then I had to be up so early.Sick,really.O,you feel terribly sick? Well, you’ll be ok.I feel sick too.Been sick for a week.Everyone at home is sick.Frightfull how people can’t keep it together anymore when they feel the least bit poorly.just lie down for a bit and you’ll feel ok.I’ve been working myself to death while sick and I’m still alive.Now, may I take your temperature?’

well…many words…but maybe a bit self-centered and negative?

last effort.

Speech 4:

‘Goodmorning! Did you sleep well? Good,glad to hear that! Isn’t it a lovely morning? They said it would be rainy but it looks fine !

Aw,cute picture , is that your daughter? (listen to a story of daughter dear)…’

Getting there!

All right, of to work !

Full of good resolutions I go into…

room #1:

‘morning!’      *freak outl!!!!!* she only speaks french!!…Silence…I give the thermometer to the lady without saying a word…and run out the room’

room #2

‘Morning!’ *…person is still fast asleep…should I go jump on her? … all right, the other bed then, that person is awake*

‘morning’ (person says ‘morning’ ) Did you have a good night? (yes) Good! Mind if  I take your temperature? I’ll be back in a few minutes (ok) ‘

*getting there…never mind that I know the nurse will tell me I should’ve said more*

Room #3

Ooooooooooh … here is a nice gentlemen up and about and reading his newspaper….love that. ..
‘Hello! Up already I see!’ (yes) It’s a nice day isn’t it? (yes,it is indeed) here, I’ve come to take your temperature’

Room #4

‘Good morning!’ (why where am I? Who are you? You stole my clothes,give them back now! Ah,someone broke into my house, it’s terrible, get me out of here, people , terrible, GET AWAY FROM ME!!)

….uh…OK… clearly a little crazy if I may say so….
And by this time, I am totally sick of trying to talk to people.

But I shall survive.

I suppose.

Maybe.

Probably?

Most likely.