"The 7th Floor"

The Seattle Cancer Care Alliance
 is a busy place.
People all having something to do...
everyone going everywhere.

The first floor
is where the lab is.
Almost everyone goes there.
Some everyday...
others a couple of times a week.
Always packed.
The elevators to parking
and the upper floors are there also.

The second floor
is the restaurant
and Imaging.

Third floor
is Dental and Women's Health.

Fourth floor
is Oncology.

Fifth floor
is Infusion and Pharmacy.

Sixth floor
is where the Doctors meet with you
and where all the scheduling is done.

We spend most of our time on the fifth floor
and the sixth floor.

But then there's another floor...
a secret floor...
where none of the patients get to go.
You have to have a special card
hanging around your neck
that you swipe to get there.
And no one even knows what it looks like
cause, of course, everyone thats left
gets off on the 6th floor.

The people that swipe
their special little secret card...
never seem to smile...
never converse.
They swipe their smug little card
and stand in the corner, alone, in the dark...

One young guy
I see everywhere,
on almost every floor,
carrying a backpack
filled with "who knows what"
always going to the 7th floor.

What's going on up on the 7th floor?
Are they doing secret experiments?
Maybe they're having a big party up there
that they don't want anyone to know about.
And what's in that little black bag
that has to be delivered to the 7th floor?
Maybe it's CUPCAKES!!!
for the party they're having...
maybe it's blood
for the creepy experiments they're doing.

I must know these things.

One time when Russell and I were in France.
We went to Mont St. Michel.
We were touring the monastery
when a guy comes out of a rickety old wooden door
closes it...and walks off.
What was behind that door?
I had to know!
So, we looked around to make sure no one was watching us...
and went in the door.
Around and around and around
this spiral staircase
all the way up to the roof of the monastery.
We took pics and sat up there for awhile
overlooking the sea and the town of Mont St. Michel.
It was very memorable and one of the funnest
parts of our trip.

Now, I doubt knowing what's on the 7th floor
will be very memorable OR fun.
And I'm sure they're doing something
very boring, yet life saving...
but I can't stand not knowing...
it eats away at me...
it invades my dreams...
it...
okay, enough of the psychotic ramblings.
Maybe I'll just ask someone...
(borrrriiinggg)
or maybe...
when someone's on the elevator
going to the seventh floor...
I'll just stay on
and say I'm waiting for it to go 'round the bend.

And then if I see people wearing lampshades
and eating cupcakes...
I'll know they're having a party.
Or if I get met at the door
by a three headed dog...
I'll know they're doing
creepy experiments.

But I'll know...
and that's the point!