“Yes, Ma’m.” He smirks.
I squirt some sanitizer on my hands and turn my attention to my new little patient and smile.
“How long have you had this cold, Janet?”
“About three days,” he answers for her.
I pause and exhale dramatically, then I address Janet again.
“Lets check your temperature, ok?”
She nods excitedly
I proceed with the typical examination I’d give a sick patient and verify that Janet has a simple cold with no fever and will get better with frequent liquids and a few days in bed. I wonder if her mother even knows that he brought her here. She’s fine.
“Is there a nice doctor who mommy or daddy takes you to, Janet? I’m asking because I want to be sure to let him know that I’ve seen you today and what your symptoms were.”
“Well, she-” he attempts to answer for her again.
“I’d like Janet to answer, please.”
“She’s only six.”
“And probably has been talking since she was two. Go ahead, Janet.”
“Mommy takes me to see Doctor Kinney sometimes. She gives me shots though.”
I cock my head to the side at Jason.
“Is that so?”
“I realize she has a regular pediatrician, but you were close by,” he uses as a lame excuse. “We were at the zoo.”
“You took her to the zoo, and she’s had a cold for three days?”
He shrugs his shoulders. “I thought she was over it.”
“You finished with those forms?” I ask icily.
“Um, no.”
“Well, you and Janet are finished here and we need the room, so take them back out to the front and finish them there. I have another patient waiting for me.”
I reach out to shake Janet's hand.
“It was lovely to meet you, Janet.”
“The pleasure was all mine.”
I giggle to myself. She’s more polite than my Grandma Jane.”
“Wait, is that it?” Jason asks with fear in his voice.
“Yes, that’s it. I gave her a complete examination, and she’s fine. Nothing’s wrong that a little rest and chicken soup won’t cure.”
“But Jet promised me McDonalds if we went to the doctor’s not soup.” Janet pouts.
My eyes cut over to him again.
