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Eleven
The prop-jet Viscount turned evenly into wind and began to lose height. Landing gear and flaps down, it was lined up with number one runway of Burlington’s municipal airport, dead ahead. Watching the airplane’s approach from the public mezzanine, just below the control tower, Dr. Kent O’Do
The practice of medicine, O’Do
There was always the question, too, with new things: is this good; is it a wise development? Not all change meant progress. Plenty of times in medicine there were false scents, theories ru
His thoughts were broken by the Viscount taxiing in, the shrill whine of its motors drowning out the voices of others around him. O’Do
David Coleman was surprised to see the chief of surgery—tall, bronzed, standing out from the crowd—waiting for him with outstretched hand. O’Do
As they moved through the hot, crowded lobby O’Do
O’Do
Coleman nodded and smiled faintly. It was almost as if he had said, Let’s not waste our talents on small talk, shall we?
This is a cool customer, O’Do
Ten minutes later, as O’Do
“Yes, he did,” Coleman said. “I’d like to do something about that quite quickly.”
“You won’t have any problem,” O’Do
“I don’t think so, thank you. I plan to start work tomorrow morning.”
Coleman was polite but definite. O’Do
Looking around him as they drove through the approaches to the city, David Coleman found himself close to a sense of excitement at the prospect ahead. This was unusual because mostly he took whatever came with a matter-of-fact acceptance. But it was, after all, his first staff appointment to a hospital. He told himself: a touch of down-to-earth humanity is nothing to be ashamed of, my friend, then smiled inwardly at the silent self-criticism. Old habits of thought, he reflected, were hard to break.
He wondered about O’Do
O’Do
Coleman said politely, “Please do.”
“We’ve had a number of changes at Three Counties these past few years.” O’Do
Coleman smiled. “Yes, I had.”
O’Do
Coleman thought of the hospital’s pathology department as he had seen it during his brief visit. “Yes,” he responded, “I’m sure there will.”
O’Do
Coleman nodded but made no answer. O’Do
Noncommittally Coleman said, “I see.” He was not sure just what he was being told; he would need to know O’Do