The desk nurse disregarded Sabrina’s introduction. She instead concentrated on Sabrina’s black, sleeveless, body-hugging dress. Sabrina’s sparkling ring also caught her eyes as much as Myron’s presence. Lucky bitch, she thought with a throaty groan. The sight of a fashionable woman always ignited hell within her.
-Desk nurse, “Choice of a Lifetime” by Pamela Jones
This is the literary voice of the desk nurse.
You can call me bitter, hateful – I don’t give a damn! I feel what I feel and have no remorse over how I think. And what I feel is this: I can’t stand no pretty ass woman! When I see a “Little Miss Pretty Ass,” I’m ready to throw hands.
That’s exactly what I wanted to do to one who visited my job recently.
I work as a desk nurse in the ER at Williams Memorial Hospital. I work hard, too—a twelve-hour shift. I have to! My husband refuses to work—he claims society has taken enough out of him. I also have five kids to feed, clothe, and house. And every bill that comes into my household bears my name.
My face is weary from all the daily stress I carry. My husband told me, “You look like life kicked you in the face.” No, it’s kicking me in the ass – every day!
And that brings me back to that Little Miss Pretty Ass woman. I was having my usual day when she approached my desk. I can’t lie; she’s well-groomed. Stylish clothes, flashy jewelry, well-laid hair – she looks good.
And I hate her for it, especially since I look like a haggard witch with frizzy hair. I can’t stand her! Why does this bitch get a good life, and people like me get crumbs in life? I work my ass off while she probably sits on hers – it’s not fair!
I bet my whole paycheck, which I really need, that Heifer took one look at me and thought she was better. I’ll go as far as to say she thought she was too good to be at my hospital. See, our patients are low-income. And that Heifer ain’t low-income in any way, shape, or form! She was just there because somebody she knew was there. Otherwise, she wouldn’t step her toe in Williams.
I know I don’t know her from one stranger to the next. But trust me, she’s a snooty bitch. I just feel it in my bones!
And I have issues with her fiancé, too. I wanted to slap his tall ass down for threatening my job over their medical rights. How dare he talk shit in my face – with his fish-smelling breath – about being a professional disgrace to his fiancé and the medical community.
To hell with you both! I wanted to cross the boundary of professionalism and slap the spit in their mouths!
I have to admit, though, that I wish my husband supported me like her man does her. I could tell right off that he had her back. My man won’t even sell candy bars to help me financially! I can’t trust him to take out the trash—he’ll agree to it and then go to bed for the rest of the day to avoid doing it.
And that’s why I had to back down, fake a smile, and do my job. It killed me inside to do that, but like I said, I got five kids to feed, clothe, and house. I have a husband who won’t work for societal reasons. And every bill that comes to my address bears my responsibility!
I get tired of thinking about bills, money, and responsibility – good grief! For once, I would love the opportunity to just focus on myself. I’d love to go on vacation, but goddamnit, I stay broke all the damn time! I can’t even afford a cheap vacation to Alabama!
I bet Little Miss Pretty Ass goes on vacations. All the damn time to exotic places! That pisses me off. I want women like her to suffer like me. Feel my pain; live my stress.
If she did, I guarantee she wouldn’t look down on me anymore. Hell, she wouldn’t even survive it!
Why can’t I be happy? Why do I have to be miserable all the time? That’s a big mystery to me. I’ve been told to believe that happiness will swing my way someday. That’s an ongoing lie!
I bet Little Miss Pretty Ass is happy. It irks me to contemplate that beyond her emergency, she’s happy.
I hate that damn woman …Little Miss Pretty Ass!
© 2025 by Pamela Jones
Buy “Choice of a Lifetime” at: authorpamelajones.com
