Apples and Serpents in Paradise

Doctor's Visit

From the police office Teuila walked over to the post office where she picked up her mail. She was looking forward to a new Sears Catalog. It didn't come in today, so Teuila continued on to Doctor Bao's office. As she approached she saw one of the two Police vehicles parked in front of the office.

A old WWII jeep painted black and white with a flashing red light installed on it's dashboard. It's old leather seat covering faded and pealing off the seats. It was meant to be used for trips into the interior. Not to be used to pick up prescriptions for hangovers. Caused by illegal liquor. Needham and Teuila would have to talk. This kind of behavior couldn't continue if Needham wanted to keep his job.

Teuila walked into the office, hoping to confront Needham about his misuse of island vehicles. Needham wasn't in the waiting room of Bao's clinic. Behind a old gray wooden desk sat Bao's lovely wife, Kane Bao. She looked up and smiled at Teuila.

"Good Morning." Kane said in a cultured British accent. Her husband and her had fled Taiwan before the Japanese had arrived. They had arrived on the island and stayed.

"Li wanted to see me?" Teuila's accent was more American. She had spent a great deal of her life around American's much to her Father's dismay. Picking up their accent.

"Oh, yes. Go on in, Mr. Needham is simply getting his usual medicine." Kane was politely phrasing that Needham had come in with another hangover.

"That man has far too many headaches. It might be time to find someone less prone to health problems." Teuila said.

Kane simply smiled. If she had an opinion she didn't voice it.

Doctor Bao came out of the back examination room with Needham behind him. Needham had a glass of water and was taking a couple of pills. He nodded to Teuila. Teuila smiled back at him, not so much in friendly greeting, but relishing in the thought how his head must be hurting at this time.

"Ah, good." Bao saw Teuila smiling and smiled back. "I want to talk to you about hygiene. I have had several farmers from the Northern end of the island coming in with a stomach virus. Would you be so kind as to tell your council of advisors to please tell their constituents the importance of good hygiene."

"I'll do better than that, I'll talk to Nash Spencer and ask him to write an article on it." Teuila replied. "Not that I won't speak to the advisors concerning the issue. But, we aren't meeting for another couple of days."

"Well, those that can read will benefit, assuming they even bother to read the article." Bao was cynical and had a certain class snobbery in him. He thought better of Teuila and a few of other townspeople, but he looked at most of the islanders as peasants. "I guess that will do."

Bao went back into his examination room. Having expressed his concerns he had more pressing tasks. "I'm sorry." Kane said. "He can be such a snob sometimes. He doesn't even understand that by insulting the islanders he is insulting you as well."

"I'm not offended. He is right that we lack education. Some of the farmers and fishermen can't read and write. I hope that our next generation will be better educated with the new school we have planned to take the place of the old British one." Teuila said. "In the meantime we do what we can."

"Shawn. I'm glad you brought Doctor Bao one of the Police Department Jeeps." Teuila had not forgotten Shawn who had just about to walk out the door. "Don't forget to leave the keys. I appreciate you anticipating that Doctor Bao might need a Jeep at some time to make an emergency call to the interior."

Shawn glared at Teuila. He walked over to Kane's desk and tossed the keys onto the desk. Shawn knew Teuila better than to challenge her. The last time she caught Shawn misusing a island Jeep she charged him for the gas and maintenance for his little trip across town. Teuila remembered her conversation with Tim Lagi. Some people did learn from their mistakes. Shawn still misused police vehicles, but he knew better than to challenge her again.

There weren't many vehicles on the island. Most of them were old Jeeps left over by the Americans. A majority of the islanders road bicycles. Those who needed to move their farm products from the interior to the town market for sale used wagons drawn by oxen or tractors hauling a trailer behind it.

When the Americans came they built a base beside Kingston. It was incorporated into the town when the American troops left the island. Part of that base was a gas depot. These tanks, the building, and the pumps were converted into the island's only gas station. All gasoline on the island was stored at the depot. Rationed to those farmers who owned tractors. The rest was used by the Police Department and the only other people with a vehicle on the island. The two scientists who lived in what was once the base hospital.

Bao's clinic was a 'free' clinic. Although not really 'free'. Islanders paid for the clinic through their taxes. Just as they paid for fertilizer for the fields, gas for fishing boats, the Police Department, and other social needs for the island. What both Doctor Bao and Teuila wanted was to move the two scientists out of the old hospital base and use it as the new clinic.

"Want to play Majong tonight." Kane asked as Needham left.

Kane had brought the game with her from Taiwan. She had taught Teuila and her best friend Sefina Lanuola how to play. Sefina had taught it to Charlie King and Teuila to Nathan Spencer. The only other Americans on the island. It wasn't like there was much excitement on the island, Majong proved to be a novelty.

"Sounds like fun." Teuila said. "I'll let the others know."