Nurse Nancy

Oh dear, where should I begin?

I suppose I should start by introducing myself. My name is Nancy, and I’m a nurse at Redbridge High School. Go Falcons! I’ve lived in Redbridge for only a short time, but I feel like I’ve found a real home here. I really don’t see any reason to leave. The weather is beautiful, and our little town is just the cutest. You should see if in the fall!

I have a cute little house that I bought with my savings, and after traveling for a while and crossing items off my bucket list, I finally settled down and got a job at the local high school. Such wonderful students, and they and the staff have been more than welcoming to a woman of my advanced years.

I’m 68 years old, and had a life before this one. I got into nursing after college and did that for a long time. It truly was my calling. I’ve lived and loved and done all the things one is supposed to do in this life. I have 4 children with children of their own, if you can believe that!

I buried my husband and love of my life 6 years ago. We had a wonderful life together and tried to live to the fullest every day. I miss my beloved Burt, and know I will see him again one day. Ever since Burt passed I’d felt old and useless, as one does when they’re retired and just sitting around the house, alone.

But I don’t want to bring you down with the sad parts of my life.

I want to tell you about my time at Redbridge High. About how a change of scenery and a new job can reinvigorate even this old woman’s spirit.

I love my job, and apparently I’m pretty darn good at it! So I’ve heard, anyway. Even though I’m only part time, some of the senior boys have even taken given me a fancy nickname! “Head Nurse.” Aww, those boys are so sweet. They really are. And helping them makes me feel, I don’t know…young! Oh, heavens, I’m rambling, aren’t I?

Well, I’ll try to keep it brief, at least this part. Goodness knows I have a lot to share with you.

So, back to the beginning. How it all started. How I went from lonely old widow to Head Nurse in just a few months time! I hope you’ll bear with me along the way, as I said I have a tendency to ramble on a bit.

Ah yes, the beginning. It started with a…rather forward senior student by the name of Jimmy Raynor. 18 years old. Wonderful boy. Talented, too. He plays quarterback for our very own Falcons! I’ll be sad to see him go, but I just know he’ll go on to do great things and I hope I see him on TV one day winning the big game!

It was my 3rd week at my fancy, new job and I was finally settled in and learning the ropes, as they used to say. A few scrapes here and bumps there, nothing too bad. The usual when you’re dealing with high school students and they’re raging hormones. They tend to fight sometimes, just like any other school in any other town across the country.

Well, Jimmy came to my office with some scrapes on his hand. He’d been in a little scuffle with another boy over some girl. Oh my, things never change, do they? I bandaged his hand after putting some ointment on the cuts, but I could tell there was something on his mind. I asked if there was anything he needed to talk about, happy for the chance to chat with someone, or at least just listen.

To my delight, he did share with me the reason for his visit, and how he’d hurt his hand. Luckily it wasn’t his throwing hand, or our chances against Danville that Friday night would be down the drain! As it turns out, he was a little less than confident about the game. Thought he wasn’t good enough to lead the team. He also mentioned the girl he and that other boy were fighting over.

I tried to cheer him up and remind him of our team’s record, and how it was because of how good he was that we’d won as many games as we had. That seemed to cheer him up a little bit, but he was still moody, as young men tend to be at that age. Then I told him I understood how women make boys crazy. How they always seem to know which buttons to push, and how to use those feminine wiles we’re known for. He seemed lost in thought for a few seconds, probably thinking about that girl again.

I reassured him with a smile as I pat my hand on his leg. Well, his thigh. I’d only rubbed it for a second or two, but it seemed to cheer him up. And then, something happened. He looked at me. It didn’t seem like much at the time, but it felt good to be looked at that way. He opened his mouth to say something, but then he stopped himself. He seemed to find something amusing after that. I’ll never understand young people’s sense of humor these days.

“Anything I can do to make you feel better?” I offered, hoping I could reassure him some more.

He chuckled at my question, and raised his eyebrow in a devilish little way, which I found a little odd, but again, young people and their humor. His mood seemed to change after that, and he took a rather large breath, as if to steady himself for something.

“Can you keep a secret, Nurse Nancy?” He asked, and the left side of his mouth curled into a smirk.

His question took me by surprise, to be honest.

“Of course,” I told him with a friendly smile. “I’ve been a nurse much longer than you’ve been alive, Jimmy. We know a thing or two about patient confidentiality.”

He smiled, and I’m sure I saw him blushing a little bit, and then he looked at the door and then back at me again. I looked at him expectantly.

“Well…” He paused, like he’d suddenly got cold feet.

“You can ask me anything,” I encouraged him. He looked over at me from the small chair he was sitting in.

“Promise it’ll stay between you and me?” he asked, looking more than a little nervous now.

You and I, Jimmy. Honestly, don’t they teach these kids anything these days?

“I promise,” I replied. “I take that confidentiality oath very seriously. Anything that’s said or done in this room, stays in this room.” He nodded, and seemed to be a little more focused than before.

“Do you mind if I lock the door?” he asked, and his voice seemed to get a bit huskier, like he was feeling a little more at ease. It made me smile. That’s my job, after all.

“I guess that would be just fine,” I answered, and he exhaled quickly, and just as quickly got up and quietly locked the little lock on the doorknob. He turned around and smiled, although it was less nervous than he’d looked a few moment ago.

“So…” he smirked his handsome young face as he looked down and to the side, a bit bashfully, as if he was having second thoughts. Such a cute young man. I was always a sucker for shy guys.

“Ask me, Jimmy,” I encouraged him. “Anything.” He chuckled again and shook his head.

“This is crazy,” he said, more to himself than to me, then nodded and let out a big breath, smiling a dreamy smile. I was a little confused. He sat back down in the chair across from me and simply looked at me for a few moments, quickly bouncing his leg up and down. I thought he might shake himself out of his seat!

“Okay,” he finally said, and my face softened, thankful he trusted me enough to confide whatever he was about to in me. “I have a…small problem,” he said.

“Oh?” I responded, curious and a little concerned. A young man like him shouldn’t have any problems. He should be free of worry and all the stresses that life and high school can bring. “Well, I’ll do whatever I can to help,” I offered.

He nodded, and looked down again, apparently frantically lost in thought, and having some kind of struggle in his mind.

“Anything?” he asked, still looking down at the floor. His leg was bouncing a mile a minute, and he was rubbing his hands up and down his thighs. My goodness, he was nervous. “I’ve just been so stressed out lately.”

“Anything,” I responded in a cheery voice. Surely there was something I could do for this young man. He nodded again, and although he kept his eyes on the floor, he was smiling. “What is it you need, Jimmy? What can I do for you?”

“Will you…” he hesitated, then found some courage and finally blurted it out. “Will you help me…with this?” He brought his hand to his crotch and gently grabbed onto a rather large bulge in his red, mesh shorts.