Slippery When Wet

By Wanda

Johnny, who at the moment, was going over the supplies in the drug box, heard a voice from the dayroom. “Just once I’d like to get this stinkin’ job done without interference.

Johnny rose, wondering to himself what was going on. He thought he heard something else, like a moan, then the sound of gunshots echoing from inside the room. He took off like a flash, and hit a wet spot on the floor. He slid uncontrollably and crash-landed into the couch.

****

Chet looked away from the TV screen just in time to see Johnny come barreling into the dayroom. Chet opened his mouth to speak, but before he could make a sound Johnny hit his freshly mopped floor, and went sliding, crashing into the couch.

“Gage,” Chet sighed exasperated, “You knew I was mopping in here.”

Chet noticed that Johnny had not moved, and it wasn’t only because of the fact that at that very moment Henry was bent over giving Johnny’s face a good licking. Chet reached out a hand to give his co-worker a helping hand up; instead Johnny waved Henry away as the sound of a groan reached Chet’s ears.

After a few long moments, Chet was rewarded with a, “Get Roy. I think I broke something in my shoulder.”

Chet dropped the mop he was holding and raced to the doorway, sliding to a precarious stop, while shouting loudly, “Cap, we’ve got a Code I.”

Chet went over to the accident scene and forcefully moved Henry, with a grunt, from a grateful Johnny.

He heard Cap call in a Code-I and request an ambulance. Followed by the sounds of activity behind him. Another minute later and Roy was kneeling down beside his fallen partner.

“Johnny? Where do you hurt?” Roy asked as Johnny continued to groan and wince.

“Shoulder… hurts.”

Roy quickly palpated the injured area wincing along with Johnny, “Sorry, but it looks like you’ve fractured your collar bone.”

Johnny groaned again.

Cap walked in from a meeting with the chief engineer, “What happened in here? I thought Gage was going over the drug box.”

Chet was the first to react. “All I know is one minute I’m mopping the floor, the next minute Gage, here, is sliding across the floor.”

Johnny winced again, and cautiously motioned his head towards Chet. “Numbskull was watching and listening to some dumb movie. I didn’t realize that it was the volume of the TV turned up so loud and thought I heard gunshots.”

Roy patted Johnny’s good shoulder, and commented, “Well you won’t have to worry about numbskulls where you’re going.”

Johnny winced and groaned more loudly as Roy carefully stabilized the shoulder.

****

Johnny groaned to himself in the treatment room, as he tried to patiently wait for his x-rays to return. The snickers he heard from the door made him want to find a hole to hide in. ‘How could I have been so stupid to think that the movie was for real,’ he berated himself.

He grunted as the treatment door opened and a smiling Brackett entered, carrying his x-ray. “Well, Johnny, you’re very fortunate. You only fractured your collar bone.”

“Aw, Doc,” Johnny groaned.

“After we send you up to orthopedics, and get that shoulder of yours cast, you’ll be gracing us with your stay for a few days. Then it’ll be about four to six weeks until you’re able to return to work.”

Dr. Brackett turned to leave, and then turned back again as an afterthought. “Oh, and, Johnny, the nurses wanted me to give this to you.”

Brackett held out a small sign and Johnny reluctantly took it from the doctor’s hand. Turning it over Johnny saw the symbol of a car sliding on wet pavement. Underneath he read the words, ‘Slippery When Wet’.

Johnny looked at Brackett, “Comedians!” he uttered disgustedly. More snickers reached his ears as Brackett opened the door.