The Last Appointment Read online

  The Last Appointment

  by

  Therese Rea

  HCBN 101-011-0016

  This e-book is published by

  Hiddencave

  Southampton, UK

  www.hiddencave.com

  [email protected]

  Published by Hiddencave UK 2001

  All Rights Reserved

  Copyright © 2001 by Therese Rea

  [email protected]

  The Last Appointment

  Miles had always been a healthy and confident young man, eager for new experiences. At nineteen, this was his first visit to a hospital and his first impression of the outpatient clinic was one of silence – a sombre, forbidding silence. Shiny, brown vinyl seating extended in a semi - circle around the waiting area. A dozen or so people sat there, stiff and upright as if afraid to lean against the stark, white walls. ‘They look like my old toy soldiers’, he thought and his confidence ebbed as he took in the depressing scene.

  An elderly woman glanced at him and in doing so, dropped her purse on the shiny, vinyl floor. As Miles moved to pick it up for her, she looked nervously at the reception counter. Following her gaze, Miles made eye contact with a faded looking, middle aged receptionist. She raised her eyebrows impatiently and glared at the unfortunate patient, who clutched her purse tightly to her chest.

  ‘You there…be quiet…remember this is a hospital,’ the receptionist said scathingly.

  The unfortunate woman seemed to shrivel up within herself.

  Miles prided himself on being able to accept a challenge. He felt the receptionist was going to be a tough one, so, before approaching the reception desk, he mentally prepared himself.

  ‘Good morning, Madam,’ he said firmly, but politely. ’My name is Miles McLean and I have an appointment with Dr.Talley. Please let him know that I am here.’

  ‘You’re mistaken! Dr. Talley is seeing his last patient now.’ She turned her back on him and began flicking through some papers.

  ‘There’s no mistake,’ he said to the upright, unyielding back. ‘We made an appointment by phone this morning. For eleven- forty-five. I want to see him about …’

  ‘I don’t care what you want to see him about,’ she snapped. She looked unbelievingly at Miles. "That’s if it is true!’

  Miles flushed with indignation. ’Of course it is true.’

  ‘Then how does Dr. Talley expect me to keep my clinic records in order?’

  Miles had no answer to that. ‘ I just want to see him about…’but the aggressive woman wouldn’t let him continue.

  ‘If you insist on seeing him,’ she said sourly.’ you’ll have to give me some particulars.’ To his surprise, Miles found himself telling her his name and address, date of birth, marital status and other details of his private life. When she had extracted this information, the receptionist called to a nurse who was hovering at the edge of the reception area.

  ‘Nurse Thomas…take this late appointment to the dressing room and get him changed. Here’s his chart. Make sure you enter his vital statistics and get a specimen. Hurry along, Nurse! Dr alley has almost finished his clinic.’

  Miles protested. ‘Look here…that’s not necessary. I only want to see him about…’

  He got no further. Her enormous chest swelled itself above the reception counter and her large eyes popped at this sign of insubordination.’ You’ll do as you are told in my clinic. Don’t think you are any different from those over there.’ She scowled at the assembled patients who sprang even more to attention.

  Miles’ impulse was to stalk out of the hospital but it was to his advantage to see Dr. Talley so, as the young nurse pulled at his sleeve, he followed her, red-faced and angry, towards the dressing room door.

  ‘Surely this isn’t necessary?’ he demanded of a nervous Nurse Thomas.

  She looked apologetic.’ It’s the rules’ and looking puzzled,’ she did say Dr. Talley, didn’t she?’

  Miles assured that it was. Still looking doubtful, she said. ’Well, if you’re sure. Just undress and put on this cap and gown and I’ll be back to weigh you and take your blood pressure. Give me your specimen in this, please’ and handed him a urinal, something he had never seen before.

  ‘What’s this for?’ he asked suspiciously.

  ‘It’s…um…you know…um…you pass water in it and then it’s sent to the lab for analysis.’

  Miles threw the utensil towards the couch. It crashed against the wall. ‘Who does she think I am…I’m not going to use that.’

  The pretty young nurse turned pale and pleaded in a whisper. ‘Please use it and do be quiet…she’ll be furious with me if you don’t.’ Her brown eyes filled with tears. Moved by her distress, Miles reluctantly obliged with a specimen after she had left the room. He couldn’t recall a moment when he had felt worse. Returning, she weighed him, took his blood pressure, then led him, capped and gowned towards Dr Talley’s clinic room. Outside the door she looked at him strangely. ’Are you quite sure you have the doctor’s name right?’

  He was getting tired of her questions. ‘Of course I have…do you think I’m stupid?’

  Nurse Thomas flushed. Without another word, she ushered him into the clinic room, put his newly acquired medical record on the desk and left, closing the door quietly behind her.

  Seated behind his desk, Dr Talley glanced at the record and said without looking up. ’Sit down Mrs Mclean. I won’t be long.’

  Miles cringed at the title and remained standing.’ I’ve come about your car,’ he blurted out and, at the sound of a masculine voice, the doctor looked up in surprise. Then he recognised Miles and burst into laughter. ’Good lord…it’s Mclean, the car salesman. What on earth are you dressed up in that outfit for? No…don’t tell me…it was that dragon in reception, wasn’t it?’

  ‘Yes’, replied Miles in a small voice, quite unlike the one he had used two days ago when making his sales pitch to Dr.Talley. ’She refused to let me see you…wouldn’t even listen to me…I had to do it to get in…it was awful!’

  ‘I’m sorry.’ Miles prospective customer seemed anything but sorry. ’That woman is a disaster…very efficient but does some strange things.’ He chuckled. ’I think this one must beat the lot.’

  ‘I don’t see anything funny about it.’ Miles could not bring himself to share the doctor’s amusement.

  ‘Of course not, ’Dr.Talley said repentantly. ‘Look…I’ll get the nurse to bring in your clothes and you can get dressed before we talk business.’ As Miles was changing, Dr.Talley said. Your blood pressure’s a bit high but that’s understandable. It will probably settle down soon.’

  Miles was beginning to feel more relaxed and asked. ’Why did the nurse think it strange that I was seeing you? She kept asking if I had the right doctor.’

  ‘I’m not surprised. Do you know what kind of doctor I am?’ Miles did not answer. ‘I’m an obstetrician…that means I look after pregnant women and their babies. No wonder Nurse Thomas was surprised! Let’s get down to business. You’ve talked me into buying that car. Have you brought the papers for me to sign?

  Without a word, the once more embarrassed Miles produced the necessary papers and the deal was completed. The elation he had come to expect when making a successful sale was missing for the trauma of the last half hour was more than any innocent young man could be expected to bear. He just wanted to get out of the hospital and into his own familiar environment.

  But his ordeal was not over. As he walked along the long corridor towards reception, Miles heard his name called and turned around. Grinning broadly, Dr Talley shouted in a loud, booming voice.

  ‘Great news, Mr McLean. I have the result of your tests…it’s twins.’

  Miles turned and fled. T
he waiting patients watched sympathetically and the dragon receptionist glared at his receding back.

 

 

  Therese Rea, The Last Appointment

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