a thousand naked strangers by kevin hazzard

‘You come carefully with a heart, then you go carefully with a heart. Are you a real man?- Mikalea.

Paris, January 9, 2020.

***

The tired-looking footsteps passed through the frosted glass door, a woman took off a soft blue mask similar to the shirt and pants worn. Without taking off her headscarf, the woman fixated for a moment on staring at a little girl curled up in her father’s arms crying in the waiting chair. Waiting for something that is uncertain, but full of hope with results as expected.

The woman’s face was also sad, as if she saw herself in the past. After a short sigh, he now walked closer while presenting a friendly smile. Seeing his presence, the haggard-faced middle-aged man immediately stood up and asked him a question.

“How is my wife? She’s, like, okay, right?”The face full of anxiety looked at him expectantly. As if what was just thrown out was not a question sentence, but a statement that he hoped would come true.

The woman smiled sweetly followed by a small nod of her head.

“The operation was successful. Your wife will be transferred to the treatment room when she wakes up later,” the woman replied warmly.

The middle-aged man suddenly held her hand while bowing excitedly and repeatedly saying Thank you. She hurriedly grabbed the man’s shoulder while shaking his head.

“Thank You, Doctor. Thank you!”

“No need, this is our duty,” she said, “I’m sorry.” Having had time to wipe the top of the head of the little girl next to her father. She smiled and said goodbye.

Leaving the guardian of a motorcycle accident patient in the waiting room. The woman who was still wearing the operating shirt passed through the quiet hospital corridor to the dressing room. Tonight until the next eight weeks he has to be on duty for the night watch as a nerve specialist. In view of this, the woman raises her head doing a light stretch while massaging the nape of the neck, which feels heavy.

“Ah! Right, I gotta get some sleep.” She muttered tired.

After about five minutes of sitting in front of the locker room locker, she looked up to stretch his stiff neck. She’s eyes closed, one hand massaging his own neck. Again.

Her eyes are eager to fall asleep because of sleepiness. Today was his night shift. Her sighed short because he missed the mattress that was rarely covered. However, a second later a sweet smile straightened up.

The woman who was still wearing after the operation was dressed in a knee-length white robe. In the left breast pocket is written his name and position. Dr. Mikalea. This morning, she had four operations. And the latter is the most effective operation for her. The smile was suddenly replaced by a rumbling sound coming from the stomach. Naturally Mika touched her stomach then grimaced. Remember that since this morning, her stomach is only filled with two slices of sandwich and a glass of milk tea.

“Alright, should have eaten first!” she left the dressing room.

She walked down a deserted hospital corridor. There are only a few nurses who pass by to check on the patients being treated. Mika corrected her sepundak brown hairdo. Every now and then he returned the smiles of the intern doctors who greeted him.

Not until his feet stopped at the intended place, he felt a touch on the shoulder. One of the nurses tells Mika that a patient is in shock. Mika who was still standing right in front of the reception desk immediately turned around and headed to the mentioned room.

“What happen is this?” Mika asked calmly when she got to the door.

There were two people she knew next to the bed. Nurse Yura and Yuta, one of the intern in the first year. She hurriedly approached, checked what was wrong with the patient and immediately made treatment.

“Who is the doctor in charge?”

Mika took a short breath. She sat unconscious against the wall while closing her eyes. While Yura and Yoga were standing there still staring at Mika who looked tired.

“Doctor Alea,” Yura lowered her head.

She felt bad about Mika because actually the patient that Mika had just handled was not her responsibility. However, since it was late at night and many hospital staff had already gone home. So Mika, who has to deal with such patients.