Ridgway Blues - Installment #4

Kay wheels Charlie into Dr. Lawrence's deserted waiting room. Mary emerges from the door leading back to the examining rooms with a look of despair on her face.

“Oh, Dr. Drummand, I am so sorry, but Dr. Lawrence just left. I...”

Just then Dr. Lawrence appears in the doorway behind Mary. Kay's eyes fill with tears and a wave of relief crosses her face. Charlie tries to sit upright in the chair in an act of defiance to whatever it is that's causing his pain.

“Charlie, what in the world is all this commotion about?”

Dr. Lawrence gently removes Kay's white knuckled grip from the wheelchair and takes her hands into his. He looks at her and reassuringly says, “Why don't I take him back and find out what all of this is about. You just have a seat and try to relax.”

Dr. Lawrence wheels Charlie into one of the empty examining rooms and locks the wheels of Charlie’s chair in place. “Charlie, can you sit up here on the table?”

“You'll need to help me. I can't believe how weak I am. I think all of this damned pain medication is knocking me for a loop.”

Dr. Lawrence helps Charlie onto the table.

“Can you get your shirt off?”

“Yeah, I think so.”

Charlie fumbles at his buttons and very slowly removes his shirt. “Doc, if you want to run some tests, I have to come to town tomorrow to see the dentist. Son of a bitch cancelled today's appointment.”

Dr. Lawrence intently examines the lumps on Charlie's right shoulder. He stops his examination and looks Charlie square in the eye.

“Charlie, you have more to worry about than your teeth. I want Kay to drive you over to the hospital emergency room and get you admitted to the hospital so I can start running some tests.”

“You mean tonight? You think it's that serious?”

“I'm not sure. Let's just wait and see what the tests reveal.”

Charlie and Kay arrive at the hospital emergency room where they are greeted by a receptionist behind a waist-high counter. To the right of the small reception area is a large waiting room filled with a throng of people waiting to be seen by the triage nurse. To the left is a metal door leading back to the emergency rooms. Kay reaches into her purse to extract a form the doctor gave her before she left his office with a list of tests that needed to be run on Charlie.

Kay approaches the reception desk and addresses a young redhead. “My husband's doctor instructed us to come right over and give this to someone here so he could be admitted for tests.”

“Oh, yes. Dr. Lawrence's office just called. Someone will be right down to take you up to your room.”

On cue, an elderly man emerges through the ER doors. His tag reads “Arthur” and “Volunteer.”

“Good evening, Dr. Drummand. I'll wheel you up to your room.”

In a defeated tone, Charlie replies, “Fine. Fine.”

Arthur wheels Charlie into a private room and locks the chair’s wheels in place. He helps

Charlie into a standing position and escorts him to the side of the hospital bed, “Your charge nurse will be down shortly.”

Charlie gives a gruff, “Thank you.”

Kay asks, “Charlie, what does the doctor think it is?”

“Hell if I know.”

“Well, I better call the girls and let them know you're in the hospital.”