of time in that bathroom.”
“Monday it was the beer, now it’s this darn stomach bug. I knew I shouldn’t have eaten that tater-tot junk that was in the fridge.”
“That was my lunch.”
“Well, you’re welcome…”
“Thanks, I guess. You won’t tell anyone about the scrubs will you?”
“You keep my secret I’ll keep yours. Get me the paper towel roll…”
Wednesday Afternoon:
“Irving! Where have you been? I said take a lunch break not a vacation! Get scrubbed and down to OR7.”
“There aren’t any scrubs left…”
“What? Just…take some from the soiled linen bags then.”
“I can’t do that, that’s not sanitary at all.”
“Fine, get some from the women’s locker room then.”
“I’m not going in there…”
“I’ll see you downstairs in two minutes.”
A forbidden place – The Women’s Locker Room – what’s in there? Irving pushes the door open expecting to instantly trip on shoes, perhaps walk in on somebody and be beaten with a purse.
“Hello?”
No one is around. The only scrubs left are smalls. Irving squeezes into them, his belly showing and his legs compressed as if wearing skinny jeans.
“Ah, jeeze.”
Wednesday Evening:
“Irving, can you help me with my math homework?”
“It’s Dad…never mind. Yea, in a minute.”
“Irv! You smell! Ha ha ha!”
“Thanks, Ryan.”
“Irving, my math…”
“Just a second, Lilly. I need some coffee.”
“Irving! Ethel needs to be changed! It’s your turn!”
“Coming, Sweety!”
“Oooo, Irv likes mom, Irv likes mom…”
“Very funny, Ryan. Lilly, hold on just a second longer, okay?”
“Hurry up! This is division! I don’t know where the top dog goes!”
“Isn’t it in the…”
“Irving!”
“On my way up!”
Irving rushes upstairs and past his wife sitting in her favorite chair reading on his way to the room of the crying baby.
“It’s okay, Ethel. I’m here. Daddy’s here.”
“D…d…”
“Honey, come here! I think she’s about to say her first word!”
“I’ll grab my iphone, hold on!”
“I’m not stopping her. Come on, Ethel.”
“D…d…da..daddy.”
“Thank you.”
Jenna arrives with her iphone, but there is no repeat performance. Irving changes the baby and puts her to sleep before heading downstairs.
“Ryan did it!”
“Did not!”
The kitchen is covered in coffee grains and the steaming aromatic liquid.
“The top dog is in the doghouse, Lilly. I guess that would be me…”
“I don’t know what that means!”
“Ryan, help your sister.”
“You can’t tell me what to do! You’re not my…”
“Ryan, please.”
Irving begins to clean the mess in the kitchen with a smile on his face. He was recognized by one of his children as father and that was all he needed.
Thursday:
Irving arrives early to work and restocks the scrubs he had taken. Large black garbage bags filled with scrubs bundled up himself sit outside in the hallway as he fills each locker room.
“Irving?”
“Maria? What are you doing here so early?”
“What are you is the real question. Are you the one that’s been taking all our scrubs?”
“Yea, I’m sorry. I don’t know, guess I just wanted something simple to make the kids happy, Jenna actually still has a couple pairs at home.”
“At least you brought them back.”
“She called me…she said…Ethel, my daughter, she spoke her first word last night.”
“Amazing how simple things can make such a difference.”
“It truly is.”
“I’ll brew some coffee.”
“Okay, I’ll join you for a cup in just a sec.”
“Take your time. We need smalls by the way. And not the ones you stretched out the other day.”
“Brent showed you the picture he took?”
“He’s shown everyone the picture. I think he might have even sent it out in a mass email, or at least said he was going to.”
“I’d rather be known as the scrubs thief than the guy in the belly shirt.”
“Make the best with what you’re given is what I always say.”
“I’ll give that a try.”
Thursday Evening:
“You’re home early.”
“Yea, ended on time for once. Where are the kids?”
“Ryan is helping Lilly with her homework. I don’t know how you did it, but you did.”
“It’s what dads do.”
“And you do it quite well.” She winks at him.
“Ha, very cute. What’s for dinner?”
“Hamburgers, I’ll start grilling in an hour or so.”
“Sounds delicious.”
“I’m using tofu burgers; they’re supposed to be healthier for you.”
“I’m sure they’ll be great. I’ll be upstairs with Ethel for a bit.”
“I think she’s sleeping.”
“That’s okay. I just want to silently read to her. Maybe the story will seep in, make her dreams that much more amazing.”
“I don’t think babies have dreams.”
“Everyone has dreams. The younger you are the bigger.”
“That right? How’s that novel writing going?”
“It’s going…”
“I’ve heard that one before.”
“Hopefully you will only have to hear it a couple more times.”
“If she starts to say it again, let me know. Take my phone just in case.”
Friday:
“You see the email? Everyone is talking about you.”
“Oh boy, the one Brent sent out?”
“Nah, he never actually had the guts to send that, was funny though.”
“What’s the email about then?”
“Take a look for yourself,” says Maria as she hands her phone to Irving.
The Scrubs Thief Returns His Loot –
Surgery Center Staff,
-Everyone has noticed the scrubs are finally back, or at least I hope you’ve actually been here to notice. Not knowing where they were all going was aggravating for everyone, but they have been replaced and it’s about time. Now, there would have been no real way to know who was taking them, if not for the writing that plagues almost each and every one now. Thanks, Irving. We appreciate you returning the scrubs, but next time you decide to take them all home (which we hope you don’t!) try to keep them away from your kids…-
“My kids?”
Maria turns around. Written on the back of her shirt is Dad Rocks!
“The first one I picked up this morning said ‘Irving is the best daddy in the world’. Some cute kids you got there.”
“Ha…ha ha ha…that’s…that’s just amazing.”
“It won’t be if they make you pay for all new ones.”
“You know…I wouldn’t even mind.”
Irving goes to the locker room to change. He comes out dressed in his scrubs, walks over to pour his coffee.
“I looked through them all, found my favorite.”
He turns around to show Maria. Irv Dad is the best!
###END###
About the Author
D.e.e.L’s Links –
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Note from the Author –
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nbsp; I hope you enjoyed this story and will take a look at what else I have written. Thanks for reading!
Other works by D.e.e.L
Short Stories
According to the List
Charles Splints – Devil
Charles Splints-Home
Black Winter
Wads-Hard Boiled-Detective Fiction
Banton: The Crime of Cavalere
Banton: Killer Confidence
The Incredible Jaki: Dark Second Sun
I Remember
East Ave & Park Ave (Featuring Charles Splints)
Poetry
Painted Mind
Red
I can almost hear her
IMPACT!
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