Out of Patients by Sandra Cavallo Miller

Author:Sandra Cavallo Miller [Miller, Sandra Cavallo]
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 9781647790608
Publisher: University of Nevada Press

27

I’m not inherently against office birthday parties. . .I just worry that they’re fodder for discontent. If that seems too melodramatic, you haven’t worked in an office with complex hierarchies and way too many egos and drama. The perception that perhaps one person got a better cake, or a more-clever present, or a bigger bunch of balloons, can derail the best intentions. Never blatant, never given voice, bearing a wounded heat that rarely rises above a simmer, these microhurts still cause pain. But eliminating the parties seemed even worse, so there they were.

I came up with the idea for Betsy’s little gift the week before. When I left the parking lot at dusk, Betsy leaned dejectedly against her faded brown Pinto, her lunchbox resting on the hood.

“Do you need help?” I offered, lowering my car window.

Betsy startled, obviously lost in thought. Her head swiveled, glancing around nervously. She looked at her watch and her teeth caught her lip. “Oh no, Dr. Waters. My car won’t start again. That’s all. I’m just waiting for Dickie. My husband.”

I realized I’d never heard his name before. “Will you need a tow truck?”

“No.” She turned and looked up the street, anxious. “Dickie has a friend who’ll come fix it tomorrow. Or the next day. Is it in the way?”

“Not at all. I just feel bad for you, waiting out here. Is he coming soon? Can I give you ride?” Every now and then I remember to behave nicely. And Betsy did seem forlorn.

Her eyes widened, almost panicked. “That’s very generous, Dr. Waters. But you should go. He’s almost here. Really.”

Clearly she wanted me gone, so I went off. More drama, I thought sourly. I tried to imagine what she didn’t want me to see. An ugly husband? Maybe he had no front teeth. Maybe he drove a half-wrecked car, dented and scraped, the windshield cracked, a bumper missing. I’d never met him. . .no one had. Now I felt curious and wondered how I might casually ask to see a photo. Sometimes I truly dislike my human side and I quickly vowed to never ask such a thing.

And talk about timing. That week Zane managed to garner a white card during his one afternoon visit: Bungling Old Docs Should Leave.

Women are more wary than men, predisposed to watch for threats, to worry about their safety, and for good reasons. My latest card directed me to Go Back to the Kitchen. So this person knew I was female, likely did know our cars. What else did they know? Where I lived? Betsy’s recent note said simply Incompetent. When I prompted her to talk about it, how it made her feel, she whispered “horrible” and looked away and wouldn’t say more. I tried to reassure her but likely failed. She scurried away as fast as she could.

“Is your husband upset about the cards?” I asked later that day. Dickie. How appropriate.

Silent, Betsy stared at me like I’d grown an extra head.

“Dickie, right?” I prompted.

“Oh, Dr. Waters. He’s always upset anyway.

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