Mardi Gras, surely everyone is familiar with the crazy happenings in the Big Easy during this festive time of year. But try working in New Orleans during that time. For myself and a few other nurses that's when you made the big bucks. Every year the nurses who resided in the City that Never Slept wanted off to enjoy the parades, ignore the traffic and some just to escape the crowds. That's when those of those that traveled came into town and worked pretty much around the clock.
The parades didn't really interest us. We saw our share of Mardi Gras in the cities emergency rooms and hospital wards. Who needed to go watch the crazy's after spending time there?
Of course it definitely took getting use to working during this wild time when partiers from around the world flocked to the cities streets and clubs. During Mardi Gras you would see it all. From men walking around in chaps with nothing underneath, to couples having oral sex on the balconies while parades streamed below them. It was amazing what some people would do for a string of beads worth a couple of cents.
Of course I had no idea what someone would do until I started working there about 8 years ago. That's when I came to the conclusion that not only working Mardi Gras would be a learning experience, but also something you'd have to experience at least once in your medical career.
Being assigned to the emergency room at one of New Orleans largest hospitals the first time I arrived in the city should of given me a hint of what to expect. Looking at the agency clerk who slipped the assignment form into my hand I should of guessed something was strange when she just giggled and blushed.
"Okay Tony, that's where you go for the week. They've got a room set aside for you to sleep in during your time off. So you won't have to fight the traffic going and coming. You'll have 12 hr days at least for the next 7 days. And remember, this is Mardi Gras, what you see this week you probably won't see again until next year."
Nodding and grabbing my luggage I headed to the agencies van that was going to take the visiting nurses down to their various assignments. Sitting in the back, a very attractive red head turned and introduced herself.
"Hiya, I'm Debbie. Where u spending the week at?"
"Charity ER. What about you?"
Laughing, she shook her head as the red curls flowed around her face.
"No, not me. I'm at Tulane. Karen, she's sitting in the front passenger seat, she's going to Charity for the week also."
Turning around the red head raised her voice to be heard above the other nurses chatter.
"Hey Karen, this guys going to Charity the same as you. ER also. At least you'll have someone else from the agency with you."
Leaning over to look at Karen, I nodded my head and smiled. She was cute. Definitely someone you wouldn't mind working with for a week long contract.
Karen turned and waved her hand in acknowledgment. Her dark eyes blending perfectly with her straight black hair.
As the driver hopped in the van and looked around I leaned back into my seat.
"Okay folks, you ready to rock and roll?"
Excited chatter filled the van as we responded. The driver just smiled and cranked up the vehicle.
Looking out the side panel windows as we inched our way through the traffic I began to get an idea of just how crazy Mardi Gras could be. Just outside the city limits traffic was backed up and barely moving. Crowds wandered the streets heading towards the various shuttle buses that went towards the parade routes.
Slipping a CD into the stereo the driver began to hum to the party tunes.
"So, any of you ever been here for the party before?"
Throughout the van heads began to shake and nod. Half of the contract nurses had, for the rest of us this was a new experience. Noticing Karen in the front seat shake her head no I began to feel a little less nervous. At least I wasn't the only one who was going to experience the hospitals ER for the first time.
For traveling nurses, experiencing new places was common. You were always sent where ever you were needed the most. Los Angeles, Dallas, the Caribbean and this time to New Orleans. You had a choice of where you wanted to go. Of course you always looked at who offered the most money and what the conditions were really like at your proposed assignment. New Orleans had been a give me for most of us. Double the wages for the week, all expenses paid, and the lure of Mardi Gras. Anyone of us would have been a fool to refuse the short term contract.
Suddenly the driver asked, "Any of you married?"
An older nurse sitting behind Karen raised her hand. Her blue eyes sparkling with pride.
"Yea, I am. Two lovely kids and a husband in San Antonio."
Looking back, the driver grinned. "Don't worry Miss. It won't matter this week. This is The Big Easy."
Watching her cheeks redden, everyone in the van began to chuckle.
Feeling someone's hand tapping my knee I looked up to see Debbie giggling and pointing out the window.
"Look at that? Can u fucking believe it?"
Turning to look out the window, my jaw dropped and bounced off the floor of the van. There, walking down the sidewalk in full view of the public was this perfect specimen of a woman. Tall and blonde, legs that went from her ass to the pavement. Yet it's what she was wearing that threw me into shock. Black fish net panty hose, stiletto heels and a black latex bra. The firm cheeks of her ass shaking with every step she made. Walking beside her must of been her boyfriend. This guy was wearing black leather chaps, a black thong and black biker boots. No shirt, no pants! And his ass cheeks were shaking even more than the blonde's were.
Continuing to scan the crowd I began to notice other partiers just as scantily clad. One couple, both men, had the seats of their blue jeans cut out and were wearing plastic, see through molds in place. Each walked arm in arm down the sidewalk, with their hands resting on each other's mold.
Turning to look at Debbie I could my face heating up and it definitely wasn't from the temperature inside the van.
"Damn, you better shut your mouth. You know the mosquitoes down here are terrible."
Forcing my mouth shut with great effort, I turned back to look at the crowd. Most people were dressed nice. Jeans, cotton athletic shirts and sneakers. But throughout the flowing mob you could still pick out the others. Those who took the cities nickname literally.
Shaking my head as we turned into Tulane to let Debbie and her co-workers out I automatically glanced towards the ER. You can always tell how busy a place was by looking at the ER. And Tulane was busy! Ambulances pulled up at the emergency entrance one after another. Families sat outside smoking and talking. Some of the patients wandered in on their own. Staggering from alcohol, fights or drugs. Knowing Tulane wasn't far from Charity I began to get some idea of what this week was going to be like for an ER nurse.
Crawling up in the seat behind Karen I offered my hand and introduced myself. Since we were going to be working the week in the same hospital it always helped to know a co-worker. Especially since you may end up working together on future assignments.
Feeling Karen's soft hand and firm grip I looked into her dark eyes.
"It looked pretty busy back there at the ER. Debbie and the others are going to have their hands full."
With a seductively mischevious smile Karen nodded her head. "Oh, I'm sure they will."
The driver turned and laughed. "You think those guys are going to be busy? You two are going to Charity. The state run hospital in the city. You're going to see things you'll probably never again. You get it all in that place."
Leaning back in the seat I looked at Karen. Her black page boy haircut framing her tanned face.
"Well, that's what we're here for. To stay busy and help out."
Turning back to face the front of the van, Karen continued to scan the crowd outside while her head moved with the rhythm of the music coming over the van's stereo.
Blowing the horn of the van the driver motioned to a police officer who was overlooking the crowd and traffic. Nodding his head the officer cleared a path in the milling crowd so the van could pull into the parking lot next to Charity's ER.
