ST. PADDY’S DAY
by
The Major
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“He’s come around,” said Dr. Cooney, and the two men came toward Dr. Pat. He was lying on a gurney in an area he knew well – the Coysville Ambulatory Care Center (CACC) or “the clinic” as it was more commonly known. “Pat, how are you feeling?” asked Dr. Cooney with some concern.
“All right” said Pat somewhat shakily. “How did I get here?” he asked.
“They brought you in by ambulance.” Dr. Pat started to ask a second question, but Sam Cooney cut him off. “Your patient is in the next room. Unfortunately, she’s LOC, Glasgow five.” This meant that Sharon was fully unconscious in a comatose state.
“What happened?” asked a complete baffled Dr. Patel as he sat up on the gurney.
“That’s what we want to know, Pat. Your receptionist found the two of you unconscious at the same time. No clue as to what brought this on in your case. Your patient, on the other hand, has a massive subdural hematoma which is compressing her brain. She’s had an MRI. We’re watching her very closely. We may end up MedEvac’ing her to Pinkman General. Officer Hurley here wants to ask you some questions. That’s a mighty nasty bump on the lady’s head. Toby.”
Officer Hurley stepped forward. “Dr. Patel” he began formally. “Due to the suspicious nature of way that we found the two of you, I need to ask what you know.” Pat felt like he was going to pass out all over again. He steeled himself as the big deputy officer continued. “Mrs. Caughlin obviously sustained a traumatic blow to the right forehead. Did she relate to you how this occurred?”
Dr. Pat’s mind raced. This was too awful to be true. He was now in a position to provide evidence against himself for a hit and run which had resulted in his own patient’s comatose condition.
From the movies he remembered people suspected of crimes “pleading the Fifth.” Should he do that now? Would it be too suspicious if he asked to speak to an attorney? Dr. Pat didn’t even have an attorney.
He was in a terrible spot. He began to panic. He could see it all before his eyes – the trial, the shame and humiliation, the revocation of his license. They may not put him in jail, but how could he know for sure? Besides, even if he were not incarcerated, the thought of the loss of his right to practice medicine was more than he could bear.
What would he do in America if he were not a doctor? He certainly was not going back to India. He’d rather die first. Could they deport him? No, he decided, I’m a citizen. Glad of that, it brought him only a small measure of relief. On the other hand, could he live with himself as a physician (or as a human being) if he misled the authorities?
Officer Hurley leaned in closer awaiting his response. Dr. Pat began slowly. “Of course, Mrs. Caughlin is my patient. Any information she might have provided me is privileged under the doctor-patient relationship. Unfortunately, I cannot discuss her case without her authorization.” He felt satisfied with this response. He hoped the officer also felt satisfied with this response.
“Well, doctor, the thing is we need to how it happened in order to rule out any criminal activity. Now, she might have been struck on the head by a malfeasant with a blunt object, or she could have simply fallen down on a patch of ice in her driveway. We’ve checked her car, which is in your parking lot. There’s no sign of an accident. Now can you…”
“Officer Hurley” Dr. Pat cut him off, “I assure you it’s none of the possibilities you’ve mentioned. In fact, Mrs. Caughlin didn’t mention any sort of criminal activity to me during my examination.” This was sort of true in light of the fact that she had not yet gotten around to telling Dr. Pat about the mysterious vehicle leaving the scene.
“Beyond that, I’m afraid I am bound by my oath. You understand, it’s not that I wish to be uncooperative.” Dr. Pat became aware that he had subconsciously begun bobbing his head from side to side as he spoke to the officer. He thought that he had completely overcome this mannerism which was common in India when a person is seeking approval.
“O.K., Dr. Patel” the big officer said slowly as if he were talking to a small child. “I can tell you’re feeling poorly at the moment. Maybe we can discuss this at a later point in time.” With that, Officer Toby Hurley turned and left the room.
That left Dr. Pat alone in the room with Dr. Cooney. Dr. Pat figured: “O.K., I got around the police. Now, I’m going to have to answer the questions of my professional colleague. Unfortunately, I probably can’t use the privilege as a shield against his questions. What am I going to do when he asks me how this happened?”
Sam Cooney was a doctor who had received his medical training at Northeastern and had shown early promise. However, somewhere along the way, his career had gotten off track. Originally from Coysville, he had fallen back into this town when the practice he had envisioned in Boston didn’t work out exactly as he had planned. He was now in his late sixties, and his ‘running out the clock’ phase was in full swing.
At this moment, Dr. Cooney turned to Dr. Pat and said: “Feel better, Pat. You’ve got a patient out there who needs you.”
Dumbstruck, Dr. Pat could only respond: “Thank you, Sam.” The man’s lack of curiosity was astounding. Sharon was obviously much better off in his own hands than Sam’s. This, coming from the man who had apparently put her in the coma in the first place.
As he turned to leave, Dr. Cooney unexpectedly spoke up again. “Oh, by the way, Mr. Caughlin is in the other room and wants to have a word with you. Feel up to seeing him right now?”
Dr. Pat silently nodded his head. It was amazing how quickly the traps were being constructed in front of him. Just as soon as he defused one troubling situation, another immediately presented itself.
Dr. Cooney left the room, and came back with a very tall imposing man with hair graying at the temples. “Hi Doc, I’m David Caughlin.” Dr. Pat shook the man’s hand. Rather, it was more appropriate to say that he placed his small brown hand in this giant’s large white mitt and had his entire upper extremity shaken for him.
“How are you doing, Mr. Caughlin?” Dr. Pat asked timidly. He had never met this man before. He wondered if he was one of Sam’s patients, or if he had a doctor at all. He looked like the type that never got sick.
“Dr. Pat, I gotta’ know. Did Sharon say anything to you about how this thing happened? I mean, last night she was tryin’ to tell me somethin’. But the game was on, and, you know how it is.”
Dr. Pat was once again shocked. “You mean, she didn’t tell you anything about how this occurred? Unfortunately I was going to ask you the same question.” Dr. Pat was satisfied with himself. This was not a lie. He really wanted to know how much Sharon had told her husband about the incident at the Irish Center.
“Naw, she just said she had a real doozy of a headache. I have no idea what happened to her. Say, what happened today in your office? Why did the two of you pass out?”
“Mr. Caughlin, I really can’t tell you too much. I think I lost consciousness first. I have no knowledge as to what happened to your wife in the office. You must forgive me. I’ve had some rather surprising news lately. I’ve got to take better care of myself.”
David Caughlin broke into a smile. “Yeah, I heard about that Doc. Congratulations are in order. Man of the Year, and all that. That’s great news. Of course, I don’t think I’m the type to pass out if someone tells me that. But we’re all different, you know.”
Before he knew it, Dr. Pat was once again shaking the hand of the man whose wife he had recently sent into a vegetative state. This was the result of his inattention after learning the news for which he was now being congratulated. He had to break this perverse circle somehow. If he could just have some time to think.
“Mr. Caughlin, if you can forgive me. I’m still feeling a little woozy. Would you mind if I lied…? I mean lay down?”
“Sure Doc,” David Caughlin responded immediately. “You gotta’ get better so’s you can take care a’ Sharon. I leave ya’ alone now.” With that, he gave Dr. Pat’s hand one more ride in his mitt and left the room.
Dr. Pat laid back before he lost it all again.
Coming soon in Chapter Eight: A friend arrives.
© 2001 The Major