Chapter Text
"That was a disaster, Carter. It physically hurt to watch."
"Hey, I tried my best! How am I even supposed to keep up with slang, I swear it changes every day."
"You just stood there and nodded like they were speaking another language!"
"They were!"
Carter and Malucci were nearing the reception desk to check the board for any new arrivals. It was a relatively slow day today, so everyone had some time on their hands. Mark looked up from his clipboard at the sound of their voices. "Hey Carter, did you alert the O.R for Meyers?"
"Yeah, but a ton of his friends have arrived, asking if they could watch the surgery- at least, I think that's what they were saying.."
"He tried to be cool with a street gang, it was awful." Malucci interjected.
"It really wasn't as bad as it sounds. And why do kids always think that I know what they're talking about? This doesn't happen with anybody else!" Carter wiped the board with a flourish.
"We can have two people in the observation room, the group will have to flip a coin over who gets in." Mark replied, signing off on some documents as he did so. "And it's because you look young, Carter. They don't expect an 80 year old to be trapped inside the body of a-what, 22-"
"24."
"-24 year old guy. You should probably just accept that you'll never know what The Youth," Mark added quotation marks in the air, "are talking about, and work around it."
"But that's completely untrue, I'm cool! Benton, I'm cool right?"
Benton, who was on his way to surgery, didn't dignify that with an answer. They all watched him go.
"You like organ jazz, Carter." Malucci said softly.
"Also, you're basically a part of the landed gentry. That exempts you from being cool almost by default." Added Mark.
Carter sighed, and started to walk over to his next patient. "I'm not getting old. I'm at my most cool. The peak of coolness. And I can prove it! As soon as my shift is over! I'll show you guys!"
"Hey Doc!" One of Meyers' friends was one the way to the vending machine and smiled at Carter. He went for a handshake.
Carter fucked up the handshake completely.
He turned to see if anyone was watching.
Everyone was watching.