Rooty Payne, Psych Tech

There are people who with we are close and can trace our relationships back to our first meeting.

I can still recall the first words my medical nurse wife and I exchanged the first time we met: She said, as she passed by the NS where I was receiving shift report, "Hi, I'm Belinda. I'm going down to the day room". I replied, "Hi Belinda. I'm Dave".

Mary Angelou said, "When someone shows you who they are, believe them the first time".

Through Belinda's actions and through reading between the lines, Belinda was showing me who she was: Polite and responsible, informing the nurse in charge of her whereabouts, which was to be with the patients.

Belinda showed me who she was and I believed her the first time, and that belief continues.

I remember the first time I met Rooty Payne, which was on an afternoon back in the days that I worked eight hour shifts at Wrongway Regional Medical Center. He and I were basically riding heard on a conglomeration of patients when Wrongway would admit any overflow to geriatric psych. (A practise which they later were stiffly cuffed for by surveying and benefitting agencies.)

When there was time, late in the shift, Rooty and I chatted and got to know each other. Rooty is a 6'4", well built, low-talking, good looking individual. "All the women loved him and all the men wanted to be him." (from Austin Powers) Rooty informed me of his past work, and he has had several years in providing service to others. One service that really impressed me was his years of work as a guard for the DOC.

Rooty carries a silent strength about him and our relationship became quite close over the 15 years he and I worked together in psych at Wrongway. I once jokingly told him that, like Denzel Washington, when he walks into a room, he doesn't need to say anything, for his mere presence is enough to gain attention.

Part of our close relationship was built on trust and respect and the other part was built on our ability to have fun be playful. We would sincerely support each other and like to push the limits of that support to the point of absurdity. Rooty once asked me, complimenting my popularity with patients and staff, "What's it like to be one of The Beatles?"

I came up with the term "Rootying" which meant that he was blowing smoke up my butt.

Rooty is a non-licensed psych tech for whom I will forever be grateful, for he has the ability to make Hell tolerable and Rooty has the ability to make a boring shift into a gala.

Have you ever had a relationship with a non-licensed staff member who made your duties and responsibilities as a nurse a joy, or at least tolerable?