“These are private offices for some of the surgeons,” explained Philips as they walked down a long carpeted hall. There were even oil paintings on the freshly painted walls.
“I thought the whole hospital was old and decayed,” said Kristin.
“Hardly.” An image of the subterranean morgue flashed through Philips’ mind, immediately merging with his recent vision of the GYN clinic. “Tell me, Kristin, as a patient, how do you find the university’s clinic?”
“That’s a difficult question,” said Kristin. “I hate gynecology appointments so much that I don’t think I can give a fair answer.”
“How does it compare with your past experience?”
“Well, it is terribly impersonal, at least it was yesterday when I saw the doctor. But today I only saw the nurse and it was better. But then again I didn’t have to wait today like I did yesterday, and all they did was draw more blood and recheck my vision. I didn’t have another exam. Thank God.”
They reached the elevator area and Philips pressed the button.
“Ms. Blackman also had the time to explain my Pap smear. Apparently it wasn’t bad. She said it was only Type II, which is common and almost reverts to normal spontaneously. She told me it was probably caused by cervical erosion and that I should use a weak douche and avoid sex.”
Martin was momentarily nonplussed at Kristin’s forthrightness. Like most physicians, he was surprisingly unaware that his being a doctor encouraged people to make their secrets accessible.
Arriving in X-ray, Philips sought out Kenneth Robbins and put Kristin in his hands for the single lateral skull film he wanted. Since it was after four, the department was relatively quiet and one of the main X-ray rooms was empty. Robbins took the X ray and disappeared into the darkroom to load the film into the automatic developer. While Kristin waited, Martin stationed himself at the slot in the main hall where the film would emerge.
“You look like a cat watching a mouse hole,” said Denise. She’d come up behind Philips and surprised him.
“I feel like one. Down in GYN I found a patient with similar symptoms to Marino and the others and I’m holding my breath to see if there’s the same radiological picture. How did your angiorams go this afternoon?”
“Very well, thank you. I appreciated your letting me work on my own.”
“Don’t thank me. You earned it.”
At that moment the tip of Kristin’s X ray appeared, then oozed out of the roller, dropping into the holding bin. Martin snatched it up and put it on the viewer. His finger scanned back and forth in an area approximately over Kristin’s ear.
“Damn,” said Philips. “It’s clear.”
“Oh come on!” protested Denise. “Don’t tell me you actually want the patient to have the pathology.”
“You’re right,” said Martin. “I don’t mean to wish it on anyone. I just want a ease that I can X-ray properly.”
Robbins stepped out of the darkroom. “You want any more films, Dr. Philips?”
Martin shook his head, took the X ray and walked into the room where Kristin was waiting. Denise followed.
“Good news,” said Philips, waving the film. “Your X ray is normal.” Then he told Kristin that perhaps they should repeat it in a week if her symptoms persisted. He asked her for her phone number and gave her his direct-dial number in case she had any questions.
Kristin thanked him and tried to stand. Immediately she had to support herself by grabbing the X ray table as a wave of dizziness hit her. The room seemed to spin in a clockwise direction.
“Are you all right?” Martin asked, holding her arm.
“I think so,” said Kristin, blinking. “It was that same dizziness. But it’s already gone.” What she didn’t say was that she again smelled the familiar obnoxious odor. It was too bizarre a symptom for her to share. “I’ll be all right. I think I’d better get home.”
Philips offered to get her a taxi but she insisted she was all right. As the elevator door closed she waved and even managed a smile.
“That was a very clever way to get an attractive young woman’s phone number,” said Denise, as she walked back to Philips’ office. Rounding the corner, Martin was relieved when he saw that Helen had left. Denise took one look in his room and gasped in disbelief. “What the hell?”