Saving

After what seemed like an interminable period of time on call, my stint finally ended this morning, and I was again able to bike to work. It's getting steadily cooler, and I want to enjoy the brisker temperatures before they drop beyond tolerance.

Many people don't understand what it means to be on call, and they are fortunate for that. Being on call means that you have a twenty minute window to get back to the hospital for emergency cases. Over time, I have learned not to wager whether or not I would be called back. I simply sit at home in my scrubs and either write or read. There is always a fair to good chance that I will be called back. I drive to work on those days. When a person's life hangs in the balance, you simply want to get there as quickly and as efficiently as possible.

Over the past four days I had to refill the tank on the XUV (Xavier Utility Vehicle). I was rather surprised to find that gasoline is still around $3.65. Better than I expected. Never the less, filling that tank was a reminder that I'm steadily increasing my ammunition budget by biking.

I'm seeing more and more people on bikes it seems, but my morning commute is still a solitary one with a world that belongs to me.