John at Going Gently wrote a post today about night duty and ghosts which reminded me of an incident in my early nursing days.
I was alone on night duty, on a male ward, as my senior had gone for her meal. The ward was quite long, with about ten beds down each side and I was sitting at a desk at one end, under a dim light. All the patients were asleep.
I heard a soft noise coming from down the other end of the ward and as I peered through the gloom I could make out a large naked figure coming towards me clutching an enormous member. I must say I have never really thought about the expression "my blood ran cold" but I can now truly say it is a most disturbing sensation.
I stood up on legs like jelly as the tall figure slowly approached my circle of light, and I could finally make out what was before me. With immeasurable relief I recognised one of my patients. He was a gentle soul, a lovely old man who sadly suffered from dementia. He had somehow climbed out of bed, taken off his pajamas and was looking for the toilet. Being a modest man he had decided to cover part of his anatomy with a rolled-up newspaper, hence the optical illusion.
Nursing was hard work,tiring, rewarding but certainly never dull.
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