chapter 5

At last! Simon was a qualified nurse. Now he could work on the wards and earn a proper living wage without killing himself doing it and still have time to enjoy his life.
His first job was on a care of the elderly ward in a tiny cottage hospital. Transport getting there was going to be difficult. The buses did pass that way, but not very often. The last bus was at 6pm, so he would struggle to get home late at night and the Sunday service did not start until 9.30am.
He struggled to think of a way around it. Getting taxis nearly every day would be expensive. It was too far to walk. The only feasible answer was to buy a car. He knew he would be refused finance for one. He had no money in the bank, a student loan and huge credit card debts. Jennifer's credit history was better. She had to buy him the beaten up little mini and he would have to pay her back.
The little mini was no sports car, but it would do. Indeed, they both found the freedom it gave them a revelation! Having a cheap day out at the coast was easy. Doing the shopping was so much easier when you didn't have to walk miles with heavy bags.
The little hospital had a slightly different shift pattern. The pressure was off to some extent. He had started at 07.30, but got half an hour break in the morning for his breakfast and an hour for lunch then finished at 4.30. On a late shift he started at 13.15, had an hour for his tea and finished at 21.15. It was a five day week, including weekends, however, once a week, he would get a half day and finish as 13.30. After working up to seven, twelve hour shifts a day. This shift pattern sounded leisurely.
The pace on the ward was much slower. He was not expected to do all the donkey work any more. It was more of a managerial role. He was expected to supervise the support workers while they administered the care and administer the medications as they were prescribed.
In actual fact, the support workers had all been there for ten years plus and they could organise themselves. All he needed to do was give out a few medications and organise the breaks.
He still helped out when he could, but they were suspicious of him. He was 'interfering'. They were better off just getting on with it. Simon was relegated to sitting at the nurses' station, writing reports, answering the phone and organising social care after discharge with occupational therapists, social workers, doctors community nursing services and physiotherapists.
On the other hand, he had plenty of time to go to the canteen every morning and have a full cooked breakfast and toast. His enjoyed his more leisurely lunches in the canteen, which provided a proper meat and two veg hot meal, with chips and a pudding. They didn't get many visitors who would bring in all the chocolate treats, but he didn't miss them. When he got home all he really needed was a sandwich or light meal, but he felt awful not sitting down to dinner with Jennifer, so he ate what she had.
On a late shift, he quickly found out he needed only the lightest of lunches because the teas started only an hour after the start of his shift. Tea in the canteen was a slightly different menu to the lunch menu, but it was certainly enough to see him though the day. He would just pick up a tiny snack on the way home.
The slower pace, the stodginess of his meals and the lack of exersise soon took their toll on Simon's figure. It was only a few pounds, that softened his features all over, but nothing major.
Simon told himself he would commit to a gym membership as soon as his car was paid for, but he needed financial stability more than anything.
He struggled at home with all the free time he had. His old friends worked 9-5 Monday to Friday. If his days off fell on weekdays, he would spend one day catching up on the everyday household chores. After that he was bored. He didn't want to go out in the car and use up expensive petrol. He did not want to go for a walk on his own. His second day off was a 'pyjama day.' He'd sleep in, watch telly, relax, get washed after lunch, watch a video and prepare dinner for Jennifer coming in.
He tried to make these dinners special. He wanted to treat Jen. He experimented with ingredients that he could afford, but had not been available at the corner shop. He liked to surprise her with his new culinary skills.
His half days were spent with practical things like paying bills, visiting family and other such stuff.
After settling in to the new job, Simon was already bored. He started picking up one shift per week at the hospital while he looked for something that would be more challenging.

Then he slipped on the ice and broke his ankle. He wanted to continue working. He was sure he could give out a few pills on crutches. He still had one good leg after all! Unfortunately occupational health would not allow it. He had to do his job without making allowances or be off sick. It was a safety thing. Six weeks was the minimum, then they would see.
Six weeks! He couldn't do bank work, he couldn't drive, he couldn't walk anywhere.
Six whole bloody weeks!
What would he do all that time? He was going to be bored after the first five minutes!