Hospitals are at once a most fascinating and depressing place. And cold and scary and greatbfornpeople watching unless the people are scary and depressing.

In between the Dong Dong PA announcements

I have to think the calm demeanor of the invisible announcement lady takes special training. And maybe a steady supply of Xanax. Code blue in 1126 cardiac observation. Code blue in 1126 cardiac observation. (Repeat).

It’s like she must be getting a little nervous by the third repeat because she always adds an intro: That would be a code…..
In my head I’m filling in the silent measures spaces with whybin the hell am I. It seeing people running towards elevators and stairwells? Did you hear me people?/ I said we have a fuxjji g crisis in ONE ONE. TWO SIX CARDIAC OBSERVSTIKN..that’s thebfourthbfloor you morons move it already!

A couple more codes are announced within the next hour. Different floors, units, code spy names. Pong pong. We have nexyprotty in Emergency bay 17. That is a nexyprotty on Emergency….

I start to dread the Pongs. Then, as if God knows everyone here needs a tiny break, a Pong sounds. I tilt my ear and wait. Then I smile as the the melody from twinkle twinkle Little Star plays. Two floors below and across the atrium, a baby has been born.

Twinkle twinkle indeed.