POWER OUTAGE DURING A MAMMOGRAM
I actually kept my mammogram appointment. I was met with, 'Hi!
I'm Belinda!' This perky clipboard carrier smiled from ear to
ear, tilted her head to one side and crooned, 'All I need you to
do is step into this room right here, strip to the waist, then
slip on this gown.
Everything clear?
I'm thinking, 'Belinda, try decaf. This ain't rocket science.'
Belinda skipped away to prepare the chamber of horrors.
With the right side finished, Belinda flipped me (literally) to
the left and said, 'Hmmmm. Can you stand on your tippy toes and
lean in a tad so we can get everything?'
Fine, I answered. I was freezing, bruised, and out of air, so
why not use the remaining circulation in my legs and neck and
finish me off?
My body was in a holding pattern that defied gravity (with
my other boob wedged between those two 4 inch pieces of square
glass) when we heard, then felt a zap! Complete darkness and the
power went off!
'Oh, maintenance is working. Bet they hit a snag.' Belinda
headed for the door.
'Excuse me! You're not leaving me in this vise alone are you?' I
shouted.
Belinda kept going and said, 'Oh, you fussy puppy...the door's
wide open so you'll have the emergency hall lights. I'll be
right back.'
Before I could shout 'NOOOO!' she disappeared.
And that's exactly how Bubba and Earl, maintenance men extraordinaire, found me, half-naked and part of me dangling from the Jaws of Life, and the other part smashed between glass!
After exchanging polite 'Hi, how's it going' type greetings,
Bubba (or possibly Earl) asked, to my utter disbelief, if I knew
the power was off.
Trying to disguise my hysteria, I replied with as much calmness
as possible 'Uh, yes, yes I did thanks.'
'You bet, take care' Bubba replied and waved good-bye as though
I'd been standing in the line at the grocery store.
Two hours later, Belinda breezes in wearing a sheepish grin.
Making no attempt to suppress her amusement, she said, 'Oh I am
sooo sorry!'
The power came back on and I totally forgot about you!
And silly me, I went to lunch. Are we upset?'
And that, Your Honor, is exactly how her head ended up between
the clamps...