Cleanup Crew

Any peanut allergies? I say.

It's a mild anxiolytic. The sesame seed oil suspension can cause an allergic reaction I explain.

It calms nerves I say to the blank stare of the frightened woman in front of me. It also was an amnestic although she didn't need to know that.

We think you were mugged. We being the cleanup crew who handled things after an incident was over.

I pull out a pen light and check her eyes for a concussion.

Damnit what's first aid? I don't say out loud.

I phone up a local taxi company in front of the woman. I hold her hand and wait with her for 15 minutes or so. Luckily, we were in the downtown core.

Fucking cowboys.

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Later, I drink some tea at a coffee shop and decompress a bit. I had time to kill before the site director arrived for an interview. Maybe, I could get a bit of sugar and caffeine in. I haven't slept for two nights so I needed the kick.

I browse social media for half an hour and nibble on a chocolate chip cookie. I put my phone on do not disturb. My coworkers are spamming the company chat with the usual garbage.

I begin to plot the murder of my supervisor.