A group of nurses in the smoking area

At a prestigious hospital, there was a smoking area where both staff and the public could gather for a break. On this particular day, a group of nurses huddled together in the corner, sharing a well-deserved break.

“This morning, a husband brought in his wife,” one nurse began, her voice carrying a mix of excitement and exhaustion. “She was already 8 centimeters (3 inches) dilated. It was a mad rush to get her admitted, but we managed to get her into the birthing room just in time. Fortunately, the husband remembered to bring the overnight bag.”

She paused, taking a drag from her cigarette before continuing. “I told the woman she could change into her night attire. The husband, eager to help, picked up the overnight bag and placed it softly at her feet. As he unzipped it, we all realized in unison that, in the chaos, he had grabbed the wrong bag.”

The group of nurses listened intently, their eyes widening in surprise. “Well,” she said, shaking her head with a wry smile, “you might expect a certain look from people with an interesting bedroom life, but I didn’t expect it from them. Inside the bag were their, shall we say, play toys. The husband was mortified and wanted to rush home to get the correct overnight bag, even though it was 20 kilometers (12 miles) away.”

She, recalling the moment. “I told him, ‘Sir, we’ll give your wife a hospital gown. After the baby arrives, you can go home to get the right bag.’ He looked so relieved, and we managed to keep things calm and collected.”

The nurses laughed, the camaraderie of shared experiences lighting up their break. They finished their cigarettes, ready to head back inside, knowing that in their line of work, every day brought a new story to tell.