"Let’s save that discussion for after work when we have more time," I quickly interject to stop her because time is against us. "Where is Dr. Taler? She still needs to give me instructions."
Someone clears their throat behind me. "Please don’t call me Dr. Taler. Helene is perfectly fine."
I turn around and spot a woman in her midfifties with shoulder-length white-blond hair and dark-framed glasses. Her smile creates friendly wrinkles beside her lips
I approach her with my hand stretched out in front of me. "Very gladly. I’m Elina, and I’m looking forward to working together." At no point could I have imagined uttering this sentence to her and genuinelymeaning it. Yet it’s true. I'm lucky to get a sympathetic boss in my situation.
Instead of shaking my hand, she pulls me into her arms. "You city folks are always so formal." A bright laugh escapes her lips. Suddenly, she lightly pats my back. "Let’s get to work, then. The job is calling."
She releases me from her embrace. I take a sip of the coffee, knowing there won’t be time for it once the patients come rushing in.
It’s disgusting.
It takes all my effort to swallow the brew and still manage to smile.
"We’ll be working together today." Helene signals for me to follow her.
She walks so fast that I can hardly keep up. "Sure," I say in a hurried manner. I left my doctor’s bag with the coat at the reception. Now I reach for it as I walk so as not to lose sight of her. In my peripheral vision, I see Clara strolling toward the entrance door.
Helene leads me into the room with a big number one on the door. Inside, it looks more like a converted office than a treatment room. A floor-to-ceiling bookshelf adorns the space behind the desk. The chairs for patients, upholstered in red fabric, have wide armrests. On the opposite wall, the examination table stands next to a few cabinets where I spot medical equipment.
Syringes, swabs, dressings, and wooden tongue depressors. An otoscope for ear examinations, a microscope, and a blood pressure monitor.
I can only hope there is more inside the cabinets because what I see here is by no means sufficient for making precise diagnoses. Thoughtfully, I slip into thedoctor’s coat and take out my stethoscope from the bag.
"Can we get started?" my boss wants to know.
I look up and see Helene discreetly studying me. Whatever is going on in her mind, now is not the right time to dwell on it. "I’m ready," I say, smiling openly at her.
As soon as I utter those words, I'm filled with excitement. Even though this is not a prestigious hospital, I'm getting the chance to prove my worth. And I will. Helene will be proud of me and won’t doubt for a moment that she was right to hire me.
And that’s not all. Because after a months-long dry spell, I will finally get back to doing what matters most to me in the world.
Being able to do good. Being needed. Experiencing gratitude.
All this while I felt like a ghost, invisible and ignored. Thankfully, that's over now.
