So for my first night in Missouri, I spent two hours in the ER.

I arrived on time, Amy picked me up, informed me we were going to a "roller kegger." When her roommate came home with teal sweatbands and began crimping her hairit began to dawn on me that Amy had failed to mention it was an "80's roller kegger." Amy prepared me some clothes that unfortunately sent me right back to 1986, and we headed off with her two BFF's to a roller skating rink.

Sigh.

Hot pink lipstick and green eyeshadow applied, I put on my skates.

I met her friends, saw some old ones. And then I noticed the music had stopped and everyone was gathered around the edge of the rink. I peeked through the crowd and turned to Amy, "It's Brent."

The man was groaning, crying and cracking jokes. Half the time I didn't quite know how to respond. And so in we trapsed to triage with three medical students about to graduate on Saturday and one minister. And we were all dressed like 80's rock stars.

I'm not sure I've ever been that embarrassed.

But Brent was hurting bad and after he got ice and Geitler left to call his parents, he asked me to pray for him. I wasn't sure if he was joking or not (sometimes people ask me to do that since they know I'm a minister and they get a kick out of it). So I looked to Amy for guidance and she said, "no really, he's very religious Ann, pray for him." So I did.

Soon enough the doctors whom Amy, Geit and Brent had all rotated with were coming in to check on him and snickering on their way out. Geitler was wearing striped stockings and Amy was wearing suntan hose and short work-out shorts that put short shorts to shame. I was in a mini-skirt, fishnet hose and knee-high athletic socks. One doctor came in who didn't know them and asked what they each were going into... "Orthopedic, ENT, ENT, and she's a minister." The doctor just shook his head and left.

It was a riot. Brent, bless his heart, kept in very good spirits. I tried to wipe the bright pink lipstick off and the girls examined the x-rays. Two broken bones in the ankle. Surgery required.

Night one in Missouri: Emergency Room. Surely, it's only going up from here.