Christmas Party: Bernalillo County Medical Center
Can't we all just get along? Rodney King
The loudspeaker announces the Christmas party in the conference room. We chipped in for cold cuts, brought goodies from home, stuffed eggs, ham and swiss on rye, cranberry relish, pink jello salad, fruitcake, and Mexican wedding cookies. Mary Harjo brought posole, which we eat in paper cups. Mrs. Petty whispers, "We shoulda made chicken soup for Dr. Kopperman." Sandy brought bunuelos, learned to make them in her Mexican cooking class. Consuela spits hers into the wastebasket, hisses to Teresa, "I've never tasted anything like that." Sandy gets huffy, says "They're Mexico City style."
The spiked punch is gone in fifteen minutes.
Abbey doesn't want them to know she's pregnant but we laugh when she pops a button on her blouse. Evie gives me three pair of bikini panties each with a drink recipe on it. Kyle, the security guard, plays Santa. Mary Dullea is selling hot Navajo jewelry for her brother-in-law in Arizona.
The custodians are having their own party upstairs. Lucille says, "They're playing Spanish music and I can't understand a word of it." She writes her recipe for sweet potato pie on a pink "While You Were Out" pad, tells me it's her new husband's favorite. He's from the Bahamas, hates Albuquerque.
They pass around a card to give to Poopsie, the head radiologist's secretary. It's a photo of a penis with glasses. Underneath it says "Seasons Greetings. Guess Who?" I don't think Poopsie will come to our party. The way she says, "executive secretary," emphasizing the "zec" I know she won't show. Evie thinks she's having a mad affair with Dr. B. That may be possible, but I think Poopsie simply hates us all,
especially this time of year.
When the door swings open
you can hear a baby cry.
What a world.
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