Have you ever been in a situation that started out pleasant and then it changed into something bad? I had that almost happen when I worked Baptist Hospital.
While I was in college, I worked there in the hematology lab. No, I wasn’t a lab technician. My job was to do the small stuff to so the lab techs had more time to perform tests. Also, I was cross trained in phlebotomy. It’s a fancy term for drawing blood. In the medical field, is also known as a “stick” or “sticking.”
One fateful day, I had to stick on the evening round. When I walked into a patient’s room, I noticed he was sitting on top of the bed. He was a young man who looked as if he could’ve been from my neighborhood. Sitting in a chair near him was an older gentleman wearing a very expensive three-piece business suit. My mom and Mamaw Jo were excellent seamstresses and knew a lot about clothes so, I was able to recognize the quality of his suit. I dare say a lot of you have already figured this out, but not me. My mind was on doing my job and going on to the next patient.
I greeted them and started some small talk. We were having a pleasant conversation when the policeman walked in the room. I looked over and realized the young man’s foot was handcuffed to the bed railing. At that point, the room went silent. You could’ve heard a pin drop. I realized he was a prisoner and they knew I had finally figured that out.
“For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind.” 2 Timothy 1:7 (KJV)
I believe fear is a natural first reaction, but we shouldn’t stay in that state. Rest assured, the same Savior who spoke everything into existence loves you and is watching over you. Nothing surprises Him.
I realized that if I let my fear and surprise get the best of me, the rest of my time in that room would not only be uncomfortable for me, but the others as well. Not wanting that, I made a joke about sticking the patient. I don’t remember what I said exactly, but everybody laughed. Then the air in room went back to what it had been. That’s when the lawyer said: “You got a good view here in that you can see the river.” The young man answered: “Yeah, back in the jail, I only saw a brick wall.”
Brooke Cox is an author, speaker, and storyteller. She was a 2016 Selah Awards Finalist for Debut Novel. Her children’s book: “Dinosaur Eggs,” is now available. It is based on Ephesians 6: The Armor of God. Her novel “Until the Moon Rises: A Conniving Cousin Mystery” is also available. Also, she has two books out in her storytelling series: “Saucy Southern Stories.” The Amazon links for her books may be found on her website: brookecoxstories.com. Please feel free to contact her. She would love to hear from you.