Chapter 5
After working two hours in the out-patient wards, Manning received an unexpected visit from Hudson. When Hudson stepped into the examination room, Manning was still in the process of tending to a fourteen-year-old kid who had sprained his writs when attempting to complete a skate-boarding grind trick. Once the young patient had left, Hudson made conversation.
“When someone told me you were here in the out-patient ward, Manning, I almost didn’t believe her,” Hudson said.
“What I don’t believe is how Nurse Sylvie had the nerve to ask a surgeon to substitute in an out-patient ward,” Manning replied.
Hudson nodded. “You’re not having a very good time here, are you?”
“No,” Manning said directly. “In fact, the patients are irritating me so much that I could throw the next one out the window. But I won’t because it would be totally
unethical of me.”
Hudson chuckled and shook his head. “Dr. Manning, I know why Nurse Sylvie picked you out specifically to be here.”
Manning frowned and studied Hudson. “I’m not sure I’m ready for this.”
“I checked, I asked around, and Dr. Carlson has been available for a long time now – she’s just been sitting in her counselling office.”
Manning leaned against the examination bed and crossed his arms against his chest. “Okay… I’m listening.”
“Simply put, Nurse Sylvie has a crush on you and she only asked you because she gets to look at you every time you give in a prescription,” Hudson finished.
Manning stalled, trying to let the information sink in. Finally, he shook his head and said, “I’ve been enduring this suffering for that absurd reason?”
“Afraid so,” Hudson laughed. “But I’ve talked to Dr. Carlson and she’ll be here in a minute.”
“Great,” Manning said and walked Hudson out of the room. “I’m dying to get back home to my bed.”
He and Hudson exchanged their lab coats for their windbreakers and winter coats, and left the hospital. Along the way, Manning thought about his brother, Cody, and wondered when Cody had spotted him that prompted him to visit the hospital. Manning was not even aware that Cody was still alive until that one unforeseen meet. In a way, Manning had half-hoped that the drugs had killed Cody and put him out of his supposed suffering.
“Cody, Mr and Mrs Harrison have been real nice putting up with the both of us, so why don’t you start trying to appreciate what they’re doing and just behave yourself?” Bobby demanded.
“What do you want me to do, man?” Cody asked.
“Go to school, it’ll do some good for you.”
Cody looked disgusted. “School’s vile, man. It’s just filled with a huge bunch of smart-ass and you don’t get nothing out of it.”
“Just try it, maybe it’ll do you good.”
“Penny for your thoughts, Manning,” Hudson said as he started up the car.
Thinking fast, Manning replied, “Yeah, I was just thinking we should stop calling each other by our last names. Seems a bit too formal for two friends.”
“Jack’s fine with me,” Hudson replied. “But what do I call you?”
A smile spread across Manning’s face. “Bobby’s good.”
After working two hours in the out-patient wards, Manning received an unexpected visit from Hudson. When Hudson stepped into the examination room, Manning was still in the process of tending to a fourteen-year-old kid who had sprained his writs when attempting to complete a skate-boarding grind trick. Once the young patient had left, Hudson made conversation.
“When someone told me you were here in the out-patient ward, Manning, I almost didn’t believe her,” Hudson said.
“What I don’t believe is how Nurse Sylvie had the nerve to ask a surgeon to substitute in an out-patient ward,” Manning replied.
Hudson nodded. “You’re not having a very good time here, are you?”
“No,” Manning said directly. “In fact, the patients are irritating me so much that I could throw the next one out the window. But I won’t because it would be totally
unethical of me.”
Hudson chuckled and shook his head. “Dr. Manning, I know why Nurse Sylvie picked you out specifically to be here.”
Manning frowned and studied Hudson. “I’m not sure I’m ready for this.”
“I checked, I asked around, and Dr. Carlson has been available for a long time now – she’s just been sitting in her counselling office.”
Manning leaned against the examination bed and crossed his arms against his chest. “Okay… I’m listening.”
“Simply put, Nurse Sylvie has a crush on you and she only asked you because she gets to look at you every time you give in a prescription,” Hudson finished.
Manning stalled, trying to let the information sink in. Finally, he shook his head and said, “I’ve been enduring this suffering for that absurd reason?”
“Afraid so,” Hudson laughed. “But I’ve talked to Dr. Carlson and she’ll be here in a minute.”
“Great,” Manning said and walked Hudson out of the room. “I’m dying to get back home to my bed.”
He and Hudson exchanged their lab coats for their windbreakers and winter coats, and left the hospital. Along the way, Manning thought about his brother, Cody, and wondered when Cody had spotted him that prompted him to visit the hospital. Manning was not even aware that Cody was still alive until that one unforeseen meet. In a way, Manning had half-hoped that the drugs had killed Cody and put him out of his supposed suffering.
“Cody, Mr and Mrs Harrison have been real nice putting up with the both of us, so why don’t you start trying to appreciate what they’re doing and just behave yourself?” Bobby demanded.
“What do you want me to do, man?” Cody asked.
“Go to school, it’ll do some good for you.”
Cody looked disgusted. “School’s vile, man. It’s just filled with a huge bunch of smart-ass and you don’t get nothing out of it.”
“Just try it, maybe it’ll do you good.”
“Penny for your thoughts, Manning,” Hudson said as he started up the car.
Thinking fast, Manning replied, “Yeah, I was just thinking we should stop calling each other by our last names. Seems a bit too formal for two friends.”
“Jack’s fine with me,” Hudson replied. “But what do I call you?”
A smile spread across Manning’s face. “Bobby’s good.”
posted by Merr-peng at 10:20 AM
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