Skinny • Book 1 In The Reality Series

Nick (the new guy)

My lab coat is still creased, fresh out of the package it's the first time I've worn it.

I feel young around the other doctors and for some reason that makes me feel stupid.

"Fresh out of school?" A balding Doctor remarks, "Good luck."

He's laughing. Why the hell is he laughing.

I'm still thinking about that, the laughing doctor, while I sit in Wilma's office, waiting her to finish the Egg White Delight some lady had brought her earlier.

"What are we going to do next?" I ask the woman I assigned to be my mentor.

"A kid died this morning." She mumbles, "We're telling the family.

"We have to do that?" I whisper.

"We take a counselor with us. In case they get hysterical. Nine times out of ten they get hysterical."

"What about the other one percent?"

"They get violent."

I can tell my face look as stunned as I feel because Wilma laughs, "You're a big boy what are you afraid of."

"I'm five nine!" I cry, "That's not big!"

"For a Chinese guy."

"I'm Japanese."

"Is there a difference?"

"Is there a difference between you and Canadians?"

She thinks for a moment then shrugs, "No idea, I've never been to Canada."

I wait for her to finish her sandwich, then chug a cup of black coffee like there's a prize at the bottom.

"Isn't that hot?" I question.

"If you want coffee in the ER you drink it fast." She informs me, "If you want to survive the ER you drink coffee."

"Thank you for that nugget of wisdom."

"They don't teach you the important stuff in Med school."

"It seemed important."

"Did they teach you how to get chunks of vomit out of your shoe laces?"

I shake my head.

"See. That's important. Unless you own five hundred pairs of shoes that's a necessary skill."

We're walking down the hallway now, towards the waiting room.

There's a small Middle Eastern girl waiting for us.

"Nick, this is Elisheva. She's a good girl, stay away from her."

Elisheva blushes. She's cute.

"Eyes off Nick." Wilma warns, "Stick to the nurses, they think you have money so they're on you like a fly on shit."

I nod, taking mental notes.

We're walking into the waiting room then. There are four people there. A sleeping woman, a man and an overweight girl who all seem to be together and a blind man, his dog and a woman who can only be his wife.

As we come in, both groups lean forward, their faces tear stained and colorless.

"Mr. Williams?" Wilma says kindly, "Will you and your wife people follow me into a more private room."

The blind man and his entourage stand up and then we're leaving the room. My mind lingering on the other white faced family, I hope that there's hope.

The Williams are crying.

I feel myself tear up.

Maybe the whole Doctor thing isn't for me because I never want to do this again.