Keep your mouth shut.

[yaris-me]

A young guy at work ratted me out. A long story. I'm sitting in the cafeteria on break with M. A new nurse J comes up and ask to borrow money to pay for coffee. He doesn't have his wallet and his badge is not allowing the charge. M, palms up and shrugging his shoulders says he has no money. I lend J a dollar. He pays for his coffee and walks us out of the cafeteria. J never pays me back and I don't ask for the money.

I notice that J seems spaced out at times, like he is in his own world, humming or just grooving along. One day coming out of the locker room I smell alcohol. The OR after he leaves is a mess, machines still running, etc. He pages me to his room and I'm standing there and he says nothing, like he never paged me. He always seems to be having happy conversations with everyone and acts like he's and all around nice guy. I'm thinking he does alcohol or marijuana at times and no one knows.

Two weeks ago after J leaves the OR, the room is a mess, machines still running, I'm in the OR with A. I tell A, "Do you think J is doing alcohol or drugs." He says he wouldn't know. I go on to tell him what happened with J and what I suspect.

Thursday, I get called into the supervisors office and confronted with what I told A. N said that it was overheard. I admit what I said and J is called into the office and told what I told A. I'm asked what I want to do and I say, "I would just like to move on." J is asked what he wants done and he says he wants to move on. I'm told that I need to apologize to J, which I do and then leave the office.

I ask A if the told N about J and he says he never told anyone. I know that no one was around because I know the dangers of speaking slander with only speculation and no proof. I know A is lying to me and he must have told N.

In N's office J never demands an apology or tries to ask for a drug test to clear his name. He is happy to just let it go. N corners me in the hall way the next day and wants me to come forward in the future if I suspect anyone. I tell her that I was out of line speaking behind someones back and that I would not come forward with speculation. She tells me that it would be handled quietly and that I could just go straight to the house supervisor and the house supervisor would take care of it. Bull shit. I am now marked by one of the nurses and I have to walk a very straight line.

The moral is don't gossip on speculation about someone. Keep your mouth shut and mind your own business. As for A, he can hope that life treats him fair. Someone will rat him out someday.