by CHRIS BARRY

Name: Inobe Stanislaus

Age: “Young enough to enjoy it.”

Occupation: “Emergency room administrator/party boy/producer/TV host.”

Bio: When this exceptionably affable Little Burgundy stud isn’t busy producing his Coco Café spoken word events, “Canada’s longest English spoken word series,” currently approaching its 10-year anniversary, or “bringing you the sights and sounds of Montreal’s black community” as co-host of Soul Call (8 p.m. Friday nights on CH), he’s earning his rent by working the nightshift coordinating the ER over at the Royal Victoria hospital. Having worked in the field since 1991, Inobe, whose name when translated from whatever the hell language they speak in Ghana means “enigma,” notes, “People can get so ridiculously self-centred and selfish when they arrive in emergency. Pain, discomfort, it kind of does that to you.”

How to get treated as quickly as possibly at the ER: “Be respectful to the nurses. You probably won’t get pushed ahead, but you won’t find yourself having a “therapeutic wait” either.

One very common reason why people end up in Inobe’s emergency ward: Intoxication. “We’re the designated toxicology centre of Montreal, so we get all the ODs.”

Are hospital authorities obligated to notify the police on OD cases? “Only if you happen to be, like, carrying a kilo of coke on you. I know of one case where paramedics brought this guy in who had overdosed and was passed out. And when the orderlies were going through all his belongings to get his identification, they found this big satchel full of coke, so yeah, in that situation they had to call the cops. But it’s rare.”

When you can count on the police being informed of your ER visit: After you’ve been shot or “whenever the doctors suspect you’re a danger to yourself or others. For example, someone comes in with a gunshot wound, we don’t know what’s happened, we don’t know what’s going on. But we do know this patient is now a danger to the emergency room because, well, what if the person who shot them wants to come back and finish the job?”

One inspirational activity all in a night’s work for Inobe: Calling up family members informing them their loved one is in emergency and that it might be wise for them to head on down—and fast! Maybe even bring a favourite priest along with them. “Actually, these calls are only to get the family down, I’m not authorized to give any details. The worst though is rounding up families in the waiting room. It’s often because the patient is about to pass on.”

Is it not unbelievably depressing to be working around all this tragedy every night? “You really have to leave your emotions at the door when you come to work here because, yes, it can be ridiculously depressing. But it can be amazing too. You really do see these little miracles happen sometimes.”

Last book read: American Gods, by Neil Gaiman

Musical preferences: Manny Ward, Fred Everything

Words of wisdom: “Commit to who you are, don’t let anyone define you.”

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