thefictionvixens Chapter 15 What does it mean to kneel down upon meeting someone?
Chapter 15 What does it mean to kneel down upon meeting someone?
It is almost impossible for a person to maintain good health if they are homeless for more than six months.
Everyone has some kind of injury or illness.
A shelter like the one on Franklin Avenue can accommodate nearly a thousand people if it is fully booked.
Considering it's summer now, some people will voluntarily leave and choose to truly become "homeless," and there must be four or five hundred residents.
Including several similar facilities nearby, and those who aren't homeless but simply come to seek medical treatment and medicine...
In short, as the morning went by, people came and went in the restaurant, but the total number of people didn't decrease at all.
Chen Yisen alone saw no fewer than twenty patients, and in between, he also helped several resident physicians in the group with some issues.
This is only because Amber and Eva took up too much time at the beginning; otherwise, they would have easily broken the 30 mark.
In contrast, when the original owner worked at the clinic, even at the busiest time of the day, the number of people was only about the same.
However, the main function of this house is, after all, the dining room.
So at noon, we have to clear out some space to distribute lunch.
Just then, many of the medical supplies on the mobile medical unit ran out, so the on-site supervisor simply announced that the clinic would be closed for an hour at noon, giving everyone a chance to rest.
Chen Yisen originally wanted to get instant rice from the car, but then he thought about it and realized that since he was working here today, he should at least be considered a shelter worker.
So I decided to go and get a boxed lunch too.
As a profession considered by most Americans to be extremely high-paying, doctors are almost always associated with stereotypes such as being low-key, aloof, and wealthy.
It's a bit inappropriate for someone to freeload at a work meal.
But Chen Yisen didn't have that kind of burden and started queuing up without any qualms.
Of course, the main problem is that we don't have money.
However, he had only been in line for a short while when he heard Zuma calling him from the doorway.
"Dr. Chen!"
He waved as he spoke.
Chen Yisen was worried that something urgent had happened, so he left the group and hurried over.
"What's wrong?"
As a result, Zuma simply picked up a paper bag from the side and stuffed it into Chen Yisen's hand.
It's still warm.
When the latter opened it, he found a lunchbox with a logo he had never seen before, but which looked very exquisite, and a label that read "Herb Roasted Chicken Set Meal".
Through the plastic lid, you can see two large pieces of roasted chicken breast with skin, mashed sweet potato, roasted Brussels sprouts with bacon, and gravy topping.
Next to the lunchbox was a cup of organic cold brew coffee, served in a reusable paper cup.
A Manhattan chic meal that perfectly fits the stereotype.
"Thank you." Chen Yisen noticed that Zuma also had a similar bag and assumed that Zuma had bought him some food when he bought it. So, while unpacking the utensils, he asked curiously, "This is sweet potato and cabbage... How come you're suddenly eating so healthily? Did your test results explode?"
In the original owner's memory, the other party was an absolute fried chicken and cola lover.
"How could I possibly buy something like this..." Zuma found a quiet table and sat down. "The sponsor gave these to their staff. I saw there were a few extra, so I brought them over for you."
It turns out it was also freeloading.
Moreover, these kinds of light meals that emphasize health are generally not cheap.
This indicates that the sponsor is quite wealthy and powerful.
"Speaking of which, what's the background of the New York Health Equity Foundation that funded this?" Chen Yisen also came to the opposite side of Zuma with a lunchbox. "During my years in Bellevue, I never saw such a big event."
He just searched the original owner's memories and found that similar events do indeed occur twice a year.
However, the Homeless Services Department has a limited budget and must first satisfy the appetites of Commissioners Smith, so it usually only does a serious job once a year before Christmas, mainly focusing on epidemic prevention and trauma management.
This event is far larger and more in-depth than ever before, clearly indicating that a major investor is behind it.
Zuma swallowed a mouthful of sweet potato puree with difficulty, then smoothed it down with her coffee: "I'm just a newly promoted nurse, how could I know so many details..."
Chen Yisen handed him a bottle of water: "Don't you have an intelligence network that covers the entire hospital?"
In New York's hospital system, most staff are divided into two distinct groups based on their union affiliations.
Licensed physicians, resident physicians, and senior medical students belong to the Physicians' Committee.
Other full-time employees—nurses, assistants, security guards, technicians, etc.—all belong to DC 37.
The doctor's influence is undoubtedly greater, but DC37's personnel size is dozens of times larger than the former.
Therefore, nurses are often better informed than junior and mid-level doctors.
"There really wasn't much news this time. Even the timing wasn't announced until last week." Zuma waved a fork in the air with one hand. "If I had to say something, Laba mentioned it once before, saying it was to establish detailed voter files in the three eastern counties, which is related to the elections in the second half of the year... But you know what kind of person he is."
Loudspeaker was also a nurse at Bellevuene.
You can tell from his nickname that he's a loose tongue, loves to boast, and his information is unreliable.
Chen Yisen didn't take it seriously.
It's true that July 2030 is a crucial window for the midterm elections, but New York is almost entirely blue. Apart from one contested district, the Democratic Party could win anywhere else with a dog, so there's absolutely no need to spend a lot of money on this whole thing.
If it's meant to give back to voters, then it should be done next year or at the end of the year.
In short, this statement sounds like a rumor that has been spread through hearsay.
"The loudspeaker said the three eastern counties... so this event isn't targeting the entire city of New York?"
New York City is the only administrative city in the United States that is larger than a county. The so-called three eastern counties actually refer to the three boroughs of Brooklyn, Queens, and the Bronx.
"No, that's not it." Zuma said, tapping her phone twice before turning the screen upside down and showing it to Chen Yisen.
It is a table showing nurse job rotation and assignment.
Based on the information above, this event may even last for a week.
However, the location will keep changing; within the service area of the Morissania clinic, it's only today.
"They're all over the city, but Manhattan and Staten Island only have three locations a day, which is less than a single community like Flushing or Far Rockaway."
Chen Yisen flipped through the list and found that the vast majority of locations were set up in the southern Bronx, northern Queens, and eastern Brooklyn.
"Alright, I'll only do this one day. You'll just have to put up with this..."
"No, not really." Zuma finished the last piece of grilled chicken breast, then tossed the cutlery and napkin into a paper bag. "I wish I could keep making rounds... It's so much easier than staying in the hospital."
Chen Yisen thought about it and realized it made sense.
For internal medicine nurses, not having to manage beds means a lot less tedious work.
Zuma pulled the phone back in front of her: "If we were in a hospital, who would have time to play on their phone?"
I casually opened TikTok and started watching videos.
Deafening music blared.
Although Zuma quickly turned down the volume, Chen Yisen still felt that the melody sounded somewhat familiar.
It's not the kind of overused, common kind of familiarity.
It seems like last night when I went to collect the body, the old man at the Rusty Hotel was playing this song on his phone.
Chen Yisen leaned over and took a peek.
Wow, it's a pretty girl with a great figure dancing on her live stream.
Furthermore, there's a small pinkish-purple icon next to Zuma's account, indicating that he has already spent at least $2000 in this live stream.
It's important to know that being a nurse is not a high-paying job; the average annual income after tax is around $6.
Even considering that nursing students have fewer student loans, their financial situation is definitely worse than Chen Yisen's.
To actually spend $2000 on a streamer like that is true love.
Zuma also noticed Chen Yisen's gaze at this moment.
"What, you like Doras too?"
Chen Yisen was taken aback, then realized that the ID of the live stream was @doras.techno.
It seems the streamer's name is Dora.
He shook his head to indicate he hadn't seen it, then couldn't help but remark, "TikTok's beauty algorithm is so addictive; you never know what a woman looks like in real life just by looking at her on screen..."
This must be an occupational hazard from my past life.
Live streaming tipping and game top-ups are online consumption activities that are difficult for grassroots unit leaders to manage, since they are legal.
Therefore, he, as the doctor, often needs to subtly probe and offer advice.
Zuma's answer was classic: "No, no, no, she's different..."
Chen Yisen couldn't help but roll his eyes.
Zuma clearly couldn't accept that his goddess was viewed this way, and relentlessly explained, "Dora has live performances; this is art, you know what art is!"
He then opened Instagram and found the other person's profile.
Chen Yisen was naturally uninterested, and only glanced at it critically.
They were indeed dancing in a theater.
It looks like ballet.
Just as I was about to say something more, I heard a commotion outside the restaurant, as if someone had broken in.
Zuma moved swiftly, immediately picking up her phone and skillfully hiding behind a nearby pillar.
Chen Yisen had no such awareness; he had only been reborn in America for two days.
He stood there, stunned for a moment.
Fortunately, there were no mentally unstable gunmen.
It was just a black guy, half-hugging, half-embracing a brown-haired woman.
"Sorry, we are closed for lunch..." The police successfully stopped the person at the restaurant entrance.
However, today this place is a "temporary medical facility".
Therefore, even without emergency services, doctors cannot refuse clear requests for emergency medical assistance.
At the very least, they should call 911.
The on-site supervisor confirmed that the person was indeed there for medical treatment and that the situation did not seem to require emergency care. After thinking for a moment, he signaled to the police to let the person in, and then turned around to call Chen Yisen and Natalia, who had already finished eating, to help.
"What exactly happened?" He helped the woman sit down to the side.
"My girlfriend has a stomachache..."
Chen Yisen stopped abruptly.
That sound...
He looks a lot like Omar Campos, who last night wanted to "invite" himself over to see his girlfriend.
At the same time, the black man who had put the woman down looked up and saw Chen Yisen.
The latter wasn't worried that the other party would dare to reveal what happened last night, so he only paused for a moment before continuing to walk.
Omar's expression froze. He was a little embarrassed at first, but he still prepared to bite the bullet and say hello.
The next second, another figure appeared.
Joey was standing not far behind Chen Yisen.
He was standing with his arms crossed, his gaze also fixed on Omar.
then……
"thump--"
His legs buckled and he knelt on the ground.