My horrific clinic life as a student nurse

After cleaning the restrooms, the next job among the endless daily routine was cleaning the patients’ rooms.

Cleaning one after another after another.

While I was sweeping one of the rooms, one of the patients, who seemed to be in her late 70’s, offered me a Japanese snack called “Manju.”

“Manju” is a traditional Japanese snack introduced to Japan in 1338~1342 from China. Basically, some azuki (small, reddish, brown beans boiled and kneaded with some added sugar) is wrapped in a flour crust.

The elderly female patient said, “You are new here, it seems. You must be hungry. I know this clinic doesn’t feed you enough. So here. Here I have some manjus so why don’t you eat one right here, right now. I won’t tell anyone about it.”

I answered her, “No, thank you.”

She asked me again. “Aren’t you hungry? You don’t have to hesitate. Here, go ahead and eat it in this room.”

She stretched out her arm and tried to give me the manju.

I said to her, “Thank you, but I just ate breakfast so I’m not hungry. You enjoy it later, please.”

She said, “Well, well, what a clean mouth you have!” and smiled at me. (In Japan, this was a compliment since it shows that you do not eat between meals and are well-mannered.)

I thought, “Actually, it’s just that I don’t like azuki, especially manju. But please do not talk to me because I am too busy to talk with you. I have eighteen rooms to clean in twenty minutes.” I took out my irritation and stress on the broom as I continued sweeping many floors.

After finishing the cleaning of patients’ rooms, Senpai-1 came to me and asked me if the old female patient offered me some food or not.

I said, “Yes, she did. Manju.”

Senpai-1 said, “You didn’t receive it, did you!?!”

I said, “No, I didn’t.”

Senpai-1 said, “Wise girl. That lady has often offered food like that and later she tells the Okusama about it. Never receive anything from her. Do you understand?”

I said, “I got it.” But I thought again in my mind, “Telling me such important things earlier would be a big help for me, though.”

Senpai-1 told me that now we would have to go back downstairs and help the doctor in his office.

Help the doctor? On my very first day? How? My head was spinning, like a merry-go-round with too much heavy oil and grease.

To be continued…