ROTM 2009.25 Photo Prompt - Rat
Mun Note: This post is AU and RP-based
Medicine was the wrong choice for me. I disliked the hospital I worked at. I disdained doctors - most of them - but I always felt for patients. Some of them were truly nice.
Once we had an interesting patient - an eccentric old lady with a rat. She was gravely ill and needed a surgical intervention. Though she was very weak and barely alive, she refused to leave her beloved rat. Sitting in a wheelchair she grabbed at the cage with a rat and held it so tight that there was no way to take it away from her. Finally the doctor lost his patience and called for orderlies. Honestly, I had no idea what to do about the stubborn old lady. I just came up to her and said “Ma’am, give me-- the gnawer--please…”
Strangely enough, she obeyed. Perhaps she disliked doctors but had no grudge against orderlies. She held out the cage to me saying “Please, if I die…take care of my Tommy. He has nobody except me.” I promised. What else could I do?
She didn’t survive the operation and died on the operating table. No one arrived to take the body from the hospital. I didn’t know what had happened to her family but obviously, she was absolute alone.
At first I left the cage in the hospital locker room. Nurses liked Tommy and fed him with peanuts and cheese - until Dr. Gordon said the hospital was no place for rats, so I had to take Tommy home. I didn’t like rats but that one was nice enough and apparently, he missed the old lady very much. I never thought rats could feel sad or depressed but I bet Tommy did. I gradually got attached to him regarding him as my roommate of sorts. He lived in my apartment for about two years. I couldn’t say I didn’t miss him when he died.
Now I wonder whether Etta would make friends with Tommy if he was alive.
I guess she would.
Words: 335
Fandom: Saw
Muse: Zep Hindle