Snippet #1229874

Hanging my bag in my locker, I passed by several attendees before I reached the back room. None of them bothered to say hello, offer a goodnight or even a smile, knowing that I wouldn’t either. Social interaction was not in my job description.

The room farthest in the back, past the locker room and offices, was a renovated storage closet the doctors used as a bedroom when they were on twenty-four hour call. It was easier to sleep here than to try to drive home. The city streets were bad enough without trying to fight afternoon traffic. Besides, with my luck I’d be called in the moment my hand touched the doorknob to my apartment. Those days were always fun.

Turning the light out and shutting the door, I lay down on the makeshift cot. We used hospital sheets and blankets. They itched so I pushed them onto the floor and stuffed my arm under the pillow. Closing my eyes I could smell bleach, dirty mop water, and the humidity from the boiler room next door. In an odd way, they were perfect descriptors of my life: bleach…mop water…humidity.

Grass?

It smelled like…grass? Taking a deeper breath I was certain of it this time. There was definitely a strong scent of fresh grass. Not the manufactured grass they kept in parks or even front lawns. But the crisp clean grass of the northwest. The kind that grew without restraint. It smelled so clean. It was soft.

Soft?

Opening my eyes with a start, I shot up from where I was laying. Trees. Flowers. Bushes. Grass. This certainly wasn’t what I had expected. I took nearly ten minutes to completely examine my surroundings. The surrounding flora seemed a cross between Brazilian jungle and New England forestry. The reds, greens and golds were stunning. With the overhanging sun, the forest floor was stained a mixture of colors.

It was quiet. I didn’t hear any animals. There was a barely audible wind as it rustled the trees. Taking another deep breath I reclined onto my back again. As if on cue, the sun fell directly on me making my entire body feel warm. The grass was thick and soft. The sun warm. Yawning, not out of tiredness, but out of contentment, I closed my eyes and let the environment consume me.

Despite the odd situation and location I now found myself, my mind was strangely completely still. No distinct thoughts or apparent questions. In truth I didn’t care. I was warm, and relaxed…and it was quiet. Like I’d never experienced before. I was content. So much so it almost hurt. But it was quiet. Hmm