Wednesday, September 25, 2013

I Look Like Every Woman in America. Especially Amy.

This morning I got on the PATH train, like I do every morning, and shoved my way through the crowd and towards a wall to lean on, like I do every morning. Except this morning, seemingly out of nowhere, a guy shoved his way over to me wearing scrubs and said hello.

Wait, ok, can we discuss this for just a minute? I see this all the time. People walking around the city in their scrubs. Which immediately makes me think two things: 1, You’re smart AND more altruistic than me, and 2, aren’t those supposed to be, like, clean? So maybe – especially if you’re going to work – you should wear normal people clothes? I mean, I get it, you want people to know you’re a doctor. I would too, for sure. But I also don’t want to die because of your city-scrubs that are all contaminated by my and other people’s germs.

And I always want to ask them if they’re coming or going, but then I remember that boundaries are what make society go ‘round, and so then I just stare to see if I can see any remnants of a 24-hour hospital shift to set my mind at ease that they’re not about to drag all their subway diseases into the hospital.

Sorry, got sidetracked. Back to the story.

Scrubs: “Hey, how’s it going?”
Me, confused and removing my ear buds: “Huh?”
Scrubs: “How are you doing?”
Me: “I’m fine? How are you?”
Scrubs: “Good, just heading into work, you know.”
Me (I KNEW it!): “Oh yeah, me too.”

Awkward silence.

Scrubs: “How’s Paul?”
Me: “What?”
Scrubs: “I heard you guys are getting married, that’s great!”
Me: “You mean CB?”
Scrubs: “What?”
Me: “Wait…do you know me?”
Scrubs, laughing: “Oh sh*t, I’m so sorry! I thought you were someone else.”
Me, laughing and relieved that I didn’t just forget a friend: “Oh no problem! I just thought you were friendly. And then you brought up Paul, but I’m getting married, too, so then I thought maybe you just forgot his name.”
Scrubs: “So sorry! And congratulations!”
Me: “Thanks!”

Silence. And now we’re just standing really close to each other on a moving train without knowing each other.

Me: “Did you think my name was Amy?”
Scrubs: “What?”
Me: “I get mistaken for Amy all the time. Except not, like, by face, but people always call me Amy.”
Scrubs, feeling more awkward now: “Uh, no, I thought you were Elise.”
Me: “Oh. That’s a pretty name.”

Awkward silence.

Scrubs: “But now that you say it, you do look like an Amy.”
Me: “I know! I hear that all the time. I was just telling friends that I think I’m secret-named Amy because people have called me that since I was little.”
Scrubs, feeling weird because I’m weird: “That’s wild.”

Silence.

More silence.

My stop.

Me: “Well, have a good day at work!”
Scrubs: “Thanks, Amy, you too!”

End scene.


Happy Wednesday, everyone! Also, what on EARTH should the video of the week be this Friday?? I’m at a loss! And my dad will be mad if I put anymore Jay-Z on there. So help a girl out. 

9 comments:

  1. My husband (Todd) is always called Scott. This has happened his whole life also. Even people he has known forever randomly slip and call him Scott. Then he says "Todd" and they are like, "what?" he says you called me Scott and it's Todd, and they say "I did? how weird". It actually makes me feel better that you are called Amy. What's with that? And ew, germy scrubs? Not a fan.

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    1. Haha that makes me feel better! My boss, teachers, friends, strangers (via email) - All Amy. But hey, I guess it's better than them calling me Scott and your husband Amy!

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  2. I never thought twice about seeing people in scrubs outside of medical practices, but I will now. To maybe put your mind at ease a little bit, a lot times the clerical employees at such places wear scrubs too. My mom works in the business office of a nursing home. She never does anything medical, but she gets to wear scrubs (jealous!).

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    1. That DOES make me feel better! And also jealous. I wonder if my office would accept scrubs as "business casual"?

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  3. I get called Claire ALL THE TIME. My name is Elayne :(

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  4. I totally understand where you're coming from with the scrubs thing. My mind IMMEDIATELY goes to "doctor" when I see someone in scrubs and I feel the same way, like, shouldn't they get to work and have to open them out of a sealed plastic bag? As if they were super sterilized? lol

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  5. Hahah omg that's amazing.

    And yeah, what the hell, scrubs should not be worn until you get to the hospital. It's like at a basketball court where they make you have outdoor shoes and bring your indoor shoes?

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