When I Was A Student

I moonlighted as a security guard. Most of the time I was stuck in some god-forsaken hole where the only danger was dying of boredom. But, occasionally, I was sent to places I really didn't want to be. Especially on less than minimum wage. On of these places was Caz Guard (Local casualty department) at the hospital.

The worst night I ever dealt with was the end of Ramadan traditional fight between the Muslim kids and the black kids. It's an open secret in Britain's multi-cultural society that the Muslims look down on the blacks and the blacks despise the Muslims. ( And I'm going to cop *so* much flack for this)

But anyway, the end of Ramadan in an inner-city area was fight night. The local Asian gangs would invade the black end of town and kick the shit out of a few random passers-by and the black gangs would do the same in the Asian enclaves. Eventually, they'd all work themselves up into a frenzy and would meet in some huge bloody free-for-all. People would get hurt, people would get cut and then the casualties would be shipped off to the local hospital which is where I came in.

As the injured arrived they by-passed the waiting room (ambulance victims always get seen first) and were quickly seen by the docs and nurses. Then their mates started to arrive to see how their friend was. The waiting area filled up with psyched-up Asian kids who I moved down to the bottom of the waiting room, and then by black kids who I kept at the top of the room. Both groups were looking daggers at each other.

It had to happen. One kid said something and both groups surged to their feet. It was going to kick off. It was going to kick off and the only thing standing between them and a bloodbath in casualty was me in my ill-fitting crimplene uniform.

Did I mention that I was on less than minimum wage?

So there I was. Horatio on the bridge. Just me keeping these warring tribes apart. They all looked at me. They all saw what was in my eyes. And they knew.

They doctors knew. The nurses knew. The Asians and the black kids knew.

And they all took a step backwards.

'Cos they all knew that, if it kicked off, I was going to *seriously* shit myself and nobody wanted to get covered in poo.

Cheers

After 20 minutes, that felt like 20 hours, the Police in numbers and full riot gear arrived and I went outside and threw my ring up
( Legless Mister Stabby - shanks for the memory, Fri 12 Mar 2010, 11:05, Reply)