Note-Janitor's POV
Something was different today. As I went around the morning's chores, something felt like it was missing, and I could place my finger on what it was. But then I realised. Where was Scooter? I hadn't seen him since her took a pot at me during his mental breakdown. And I needed to repay him for that!
I saw Blonde Doctor and Scary-Wife Nurse at the nurse's desk. Blonde Doctor was crying, and Scary-Wife Nurse was comforting her, but she looked upset as well. Hey, they were both Scooter's best friends, I thought, they're bound to know where he is!
So I went up to them.
"Hey, have you ladies seen Scooter around recently? I haven't seen him for a few days!"
But for some reason, Blonde Doctor started crying even harder. Scary-Wife Nurse gave me a death glare.
"Oh my god, Janitor, I knew you were evil but I didn't realise you were so sick that you would say something like that!" she snapped. Then they walked off, leaving me confused.
"What did I say?" I asked myself. But I shrugged it off, and carried on mopping. But then the doctor that Scooter always follows around came down the hall.
"Hey! Where's Scooter?"
But the doctor turned round, and boy was he mad.
"For God's sake, Lurch, just you keep on mopping and stop getting in people's way! You know damn well where Newbie is so don't try and rub it in our faces with your so-called jokes because quite frankly, you make me sick!"
"Hang on a minute! I've already asked Blonde Doctor and Scary-Wife Nurse the same question and got the same response? What's going on?"
Angry Doctor turned glared at me.
"Ok, I'll say it just so you'll shut up and leave us all alone. JD is in a coma suffering from brain cancer in room 301. Now get back to your mopping, Lurch, before I kick down one of your stupid doors!"
Scooter was in a coma? Now this I had to see! I went into 301 and shut the door.
I had prepared myself to laugh, sing, dance over his body. But seeing him there made me stop. And then I realised I had to talk.
"Hey there, Scooter! I guess I have to say something. It's not like your going to remember, and I swear to God I'll kill you if you do. Eh, you'll probably die anyway. But anyway, Scooter, I wanted to say thanks. My life was pretty crap; I mean suicidal crap, till you came along and gave me something to obsess over. And how you've managed to outlive my obsession is a mystery. Without that, I probably wouldn't be here right now. To be quite honest, Scooter, you're the closest thing I have to a friend at the moment, apart from Blonde Doctor. Maybe when you wake up, we could go crack open a beer sometime? Oh, and if you die, can I have your body? I wanna stuff it…hmm, that would be an interesting add to my squirrel army…well, that's all I've got for you, Scooter. Sleep well!"
I was about to leave. But then, as an afterthought, I turned and ran my mop a few times over his face. Well, I was hardly going to leave without doing that! It was ritual!
It was our thing.