typea_all (9 page)

     "Plug it into a surge suppressor."

     "I was thinking of plugging it into something else."

     "All in good time. I miss you too."

     "Listen, I have some bad news. The next two weekends I have to go out of town to do some training."

     "I hate that. Can't you tell them you won't go?"

     "Is this from the Brooke Castle School of Employment? I can't just quit my job and move, like some people I know."

     "But I look forward to seeing you."

     "It's hard on me too, as well as being difficult."

     "You have a one track mind, you know that?"

     "And the track is always in your direction. But here's what I can do. The second weekend, I don’t have to be there until late Saturday. So how about I drive down that Friday and take you out to dinner?”

     “That’s great. You can see my new place.”

     “Just one condition.”

     “Okay, what is it.”

     “No shopping!”

******

On Tuesday I had a visitor at work. I was sitting in the lab relaxing when Bruno walked in. I grabbed a needle and jumped up.

     "Stay right there. Don't come any closer." I said.

     Joan looked over. "Brooke, that's not exactly the way we handle patients."

     "This guy is no patient, believe me. He's a creep." I waved the needle back and forth like a knife.

     "No need to be insulting," he said. "I'm not coming any closer.  Can we talk in private, please?"

     "I don't think so." But I looked around and Joan was already gone.  "Might as well say what you came for and get out. Just stay where you are."

     "Mr. Reynolds is very sorry for the misunderstanding last week."

     "I wouldn't exactly call that a misunderstanding. It was more like a hijacking."

     "You should have cooperated. Nothing will happen to you if you just do what the boss wants."

     "That sounds like a threat to me."  I was still waving the needle back and forth.

     "You're overreacting, this isn't a threat. Just..."

     "No you just listen. There are guards all over the place here. If you don't leave soon I'll have security come and take you out."

     "Okay, I'm leaving."

     Almost as soon as he was out the door, Joan walked back in.

     "I see your boyfriend left already."

     "That creep is not my boyfriend. And I'm a little old to have a boyfriend anyway. Maybe a boy toy, though, but it wouldn't be him."

Chapter 9

     The next morning, Wednesday, some VIP's blood came down to the lab with a rush order. The tag said to bring the results directly to the pathologist in charge of the lab, Dr. Vincent Rossini. While Lipschitz was in charge of the day-to-day operations, Rossini was the medical person in charge. Rossini made the medical decisions and dealt with the hospital board for all matters dealing with the inpatient and outpatient laboratories.

     I had never met Rossini, and Joan suggested that I should take him the completed results as a way of introduction. Luckily, I was dressed rather well that day, with a fresh set of scrubs and my biker earrings. One earring looked like a motorcycle, the other like a set of leathers for riding. They were mostly black but with gold accents and rhinestones, and hung down a few inches.

     Rossini's office was in the main building. It was about 4:30 by the time the results were done, and Joan suggested I take my stuff with me and leave for the day once I dropped off the results.

     I walked over to the hospital and took the staff elevator up to the administrative floor. The elevator was empty, but just before the door closed, an orderly jumped in.  I looked up and saw that it was the same orderly who brought down that call slip the day I tried to take blood from a dead person.

     I didn't look at him much that day, but I was interested now. He was about 6 feet tall, very muscular, and obviously paid a great deal of attention to grooming. His hair was perfectly coiffed, his scrubs ironed to a razor-sharp edge. He smelled of some cologne that seemed familiar; I think I had smelled it before on other hospital staff. His nametag said Jerry Odem.

     I was still looking at him when we turned and smiled. "Hi," he said, and then he turned to face the front.

     "Hi."

     "Take blood from any dead people lately?"  He had this big smirk on his face.

     "It was your fault. You know that, don't you?"

     "Little old me?"

     "What took you so long to get that slip down to the lab?"

     "Who has to rush? These old folks aren't in any hurry."

     "That's not your call to make. You're supposed to get those down to the lab as soon as possible. Made me look like a jerk."

     "Better you than me."

     "You don't care at all, do you?"

     "About what?"

     "Maybe those tests were important. Maybe they could have saved a life."

     "Don't lecture me. And why is your face so red? You look awful."

     "Thanks. Hot spell. There's no damn air in this elevator."

     The elevator door opened and he started walking out. "The only life I care about is mine,” he said. “And life looks pretty good. Next Tuesday I get interviewed for a promotion, to be a supervisor. I protect number one."

     I stood there dumbstruck at the man's callousness, even as the doors closed on the floor that I wanted. I rode the elevator up and then back down again. During the ride, I made up my mind that I had to do something about that jerk. I had to pay him back for making me look bad, and for being the arrogant clown that he was. I never start anything, but I always finish.

     When I got back to the correct floor, I went straight to a lady's room to make sure my makeup wasn't melting. If I get too hot from these spells, my makeup runs, and it looks like I have black eyes, red cheeks, and clown lips. One quick look in the mirror showed that I hadn't reached that temperature yet, so I made my way to Rossini's office.

His secretary was still in, and amazingly still alive. She must have been in her 90's and at one time could probably even move.

     "Can I help you?" she asked, without moving or looking up.

     "I have to drop off these test results for Dr. Rossini."

     "You better take them in, in case he has any questions." She pointed to a door.

     I just stood there.

     "Go right in dear, he won't bite."  Boy was she ever wrong.

     I opened the door and walked in. Dr. Rossini looked so old that he could have been the secretary's father. He was very frail looking, but with a full head of gray hair that didn't look like his own. He looked up and smiled, although it was difficult to tell a smile from the wrinkles.

     "Oh, you must have the results."

     "Yes, here they are." I walked over and put them on his desk.

     "What is your name, dear?"  I wondered if all old people use the word "dear."

     "Brooke Castle."

     "What a lovely name, and for such a lovely young lady."

     "Thank you." I paused. "If you don't have any questions, I'll just head out."

     "Oh please, just wait a moment while I look at these. Have a seat over there." He pointed to a chair across from him. 

     I sat down, but got the feeling that Dr. Rossini was looking more at me than at the lab results.

     "Could you please come over here and explain something to me?" he asked, pointing to the results.

     I walked over behind his desk so I was next to him, and I looked down at the results. "How can I help?"

     Rossini snaked his arm around me and pulled me down on his lap.  "I just have a question or two. Now isn't this more comfortable than standing?"

     "I really don't feel very comfortable," I said. I tried to get up, but it was amazing how strong this old fart was. On top of everything, his breath was so bad it could melt metal. "Could you let me get up, please?"

     "Oh don't be embarrassed. With my eyes and hearing problems I need you to be close to explain things to me."

     "I get the feeling that you don't need anything explained. Everything seems to be working fine" It was hard to believe but I think the guy was actually getting an erection.  At his age!

     Since I wasn't having any luck getting out of his grip, I figured I'd go on the offensive. If his little thing was going to protrude into my air space, then it was time for the heavy bomber. I lifted my feet and shifted all of my weight directly down on him. I thought I heard something crack, which I hoped wasn't the chair, and he released his grip on me.  I got up as fast as I could and went straight home.

     I called Marcie and learned that she already returned about half of the stuff she bought on Saturday. I tried to reach Uncle Adam but he didn't answer, then I talked to Ryan, but didn't tell him every detail about the day.

"Hi honey," he said.

"I like the sound of that."

"Of what?"

"You calling me honey. That's sweet."

"How are you feeling?"

"Real tired. I just want to collapse in bed."

"What you need is a little Ryan injection."

"Will it hurt?"

"No. You'll be coming back for more."

"I like that sound of that, too."

******

     I woke up hungry so I wore my Burger and Fries earrings. One earring was shaped like a cheeseburger, the other like a bag of French fries. They were small and light, and they didn't hang down. As soon as I got to work Joan asked, "How did it go meeting with Dr. Rossini?"

     "You know all about him, don't you?" I asked.

     "What did he do? Was it the 'come over and explain' trick?"

     "God, it was terrible. I even think he had an erection."

     "He must really like you," Joan said. "Never had one for me."

     "How many times did it happen to you?"

     "Only twice. Now I refuse to go into his office."

Just then, Gail and Eileen walked in. "Well, how did it go?" Gail asked, laughing.

     "What! You're in on this too?"

     "We've all been introduced to old man Rossini."  Eileen.

     "Did it happen to you?" I asked Eileen and Gail.

     "Once."  Gail.

     "Twice for me, and once he got hard." Eileen.

     "Me too!"

     "Welcome to the club, girl!"

     "Can't you do anything about it?"

     "We tried but had no luck" Joan explained. "Rossini was one of the hospital's founders. He's sort of emeritus here. They keep him around as a favor to his family, figuring he'll die soon enough."

     "Only he's outliving them all,” Eileen added.

     "Well, maybe he's drinking from the fountain of youth, but he's certainly not gargling with it. Did you smell his breath?"

     "Awful."

"Did you tell the administration what he does?"

     "We told them, and about half of the other women who work at the hospital told them. They tell him to behave but he doesn't listen. We all sort of feel sorry for the guy and just avoid him. One nurse wanted to sue the hospital about it but they paid her off."

     "Thanks for telling me in advance."  I can get sarcastic when I need to.

     "Now you're one of the girls," Joan said. "And because he got a hard-on for you, you'll get to sit right up front at the old guy's funeral."

     The rest of the day went fine. We told lots of old people and Viagra jokes, sometimes giggling like schoolgirls. Once I laughed so hard I couldn't take a patient's blood. She was enjoying the jokes just as much as we were, though, so she didn't mind that Joan had to step in and finish for me.

     I was in a great mood driving home. I cleaned the car, showered, and changed into a fresh jogging outfit. I cleaned the downstairs floor and the kitchen, and was about halfway through the tape of my soap operas when the doorbell rang.

     I usually never answer the door at night. Sometimes I open the front window and look out, asking whoever is there what their business is. Most of the time I just ignore it and pretend nobody is home.

That night I was so hot I had all of the windows open, and anyone at the door could probably hear my television. So much for not being home, so I looked out the little peephole on the door and saw a tall blond standing outside. I thought it was Jules, and wondering what she wanted, I opened the door.  It wasn't Jules but an older version of her.

     "Can I help you?"

     "Yes you can."

     "Well how? I'm not a mind reader you know."

     "Can I come in?"

     "No. What do you want?"

     "I'm Mrs. Reynolds. Jules' mother. My name is Julie."

     "And?"

     "Please, can I come in? It is very important."

     I had just cleaned the place but she looked desperate. The fun day at work left me in a charitable mood, so I let her in.

     "You can come in, but you have to take off your shoes and put on these booties."  I figured if she didn't actually sit down anywhere I wouldn't have that much cleaning to do.