Road Doc
Chapter 2
“What is this??” Theresa squealed as she walked through the restaurant only to find a large table filled with friends and medical colleagues.
“Just thought it would be fun for us to all get together to celebrate the end of your residency” Dave said. Dave had been her best friend since they’d met during an advanced anatomy class in medical school.
“You guys shouldn’t have!” She said as everyone stood up to hug her.
“I, for one, couldn’t let you get away without a proper farewell” Adam Goodners, the Chief of Staff said coming towards her.
Theresa sat down next to Adam and ordered a glass of Chianti.
“What are your plans now?” Adam asked as Theresa took a long sip of the deep red liquid.
“I honestly don’t know, Adam” she said quietly. “I know what I should do, but I don’t know what I WANT to do”
“Needing a break from it all?” Adam asked.
Theresa nodded.
“Maybe you need to do some traveling. I find that getting away for a week or two always makes me come back fresh and full of that desire that I had when I first went into medicine”
Adam was a wise man, perhaps the smartest person Theresa had ever met. He had
traveled the world, knew people from all walks of life and always seemed to know just what needed to be done or said to make Theresa feel at ease.
“I’d love to take some time to travel, Adam. But right now, it just isn’t practical.”
“Why so?” Adam asked.
“I’ve got enough money in savings that I could not work for 6 months and travel the world if I wanted. But that money is what I’ve been planning on using to start up my own practice.” Theresa said. “I just can’t justify blowing it all on a vacation when it should be used to set down the roots for my future, you know?”
Adam nodded. He admired Theresa for her smarts and her practicality. He also knew she was at the end of her ropes. He’d seen it a hundred times before; hot young medical students who spent most of their lives in school working to become doctors, who by the time they achieved their goals were so burned out that they had no desire left to practice what they’d spent so much time learning. It was sad, but it was common.
“You know Theresa, I was talking to an old friend of mine the other night. We went to grade school together and have remained very close all these years. Anyway, he was telling me about a job that may be just what you need.”
Theresa sat back and listened as Adam told her the details of a job opportunity of a lifetime, a job that would change her life forever.
3