“The Manhattan General must be in an uproar,” Terese said. “I’m glad I’m not a patient there now. Being in the hospital is scary enough under the best of circumstances. With the worry of diseases like plague around, it must be terrible.”
“The administration is definitely agitated,” Jack said. “And for good reason. If it turns out the plague originated there, it will be the first modern episode of nosocomial plague. That’s hardly an accolade as far as the hospital is concerned.”
“This concept of nosocomial infections is new to me,” Terese said. “I’d never thought much about it before you and Chet talked about this current plague problem last night. Do all hospitals have such problems?”
“Absolutely,” Jack said. “It’s not common knowledge, but usually five to ten percent of hospitalized patients fall victim to infections contracted while they are in the hospital.”
“My God!” Terese said. “I had no idea it was such a widespread phenomenon.”
“It’s all over,” Chet agreed. “Every hospital has it, from the academic ivory tower to the smallest community hospital. What makes it so bad is that the hospital is the worst place to get an infection because many of the bugs hanging out there are resistant to antibiotics.”
“Oh, great!” Terese said cynically. After she thought for a moment she asked, “Do hospitals differ significantly in their infection rates?”
“For sure,” Chet said.
“Are these rates known?” Terese said.
“Yes and no,” Chet said. “Hospitals are required by the Joint Commission of Accreditation to keep records of their infection rates, but the rates aren’t released to the public.”
“That’s a travesty!” Terese said with a surreptitious wink at Colleen.
“If the rates go over a certain amount the hospital loses its accreditation,” Chet said. “So all is not lost.”
“But it’s hardly fair to the public,” Terese said. “By not having access to those rates people can’t make their own decisions about which hospitals to patronize.”
Chet opened his hands palms up like a supplicant priest. “That’s politics,” he said.
“I think it’s awful,” Terese said.
“Life’s not fair,” Jack said.
After dessert and coffee Chet and Colleen began campaigning to go someplace where there was dancing, like the China Club. Both Terese and Jack were disinclined. Chet and Colleen tried their best to change their minds, but they soon gave up.
“You guys go,” Terese said.
“Are you sure?” Colleen asked.
“We wouldn’t want to hold you back,” Jack said.
Colleen looked at Chet.
“Let’s go for it,” Chet said.
Outside the restaurant Chet and Colleen happily piled into a cab. Jack and Terese waved as they drove off.
“I hope they enjoy themselves,” Terese said. “I couldn’t have thought of anything worse. Sitting in a smoke-filled nightclub assaulted by music loud enough to damage my ears is not my idea of pleasure.”
“At least we’ve finally found something we can agree on,” Jack said.
Terese laughed. She was beginning to appreciate Jack’s sense of humor. It wasn’t too dissimilar from her own.
For a moment of self-conscious indecision they stood at the curbside, each looking in a different direction. Second Avenue was alive with revelers despite a nippy temperature in the high thirties. The air was clear and the sky cloudless.
“I think the weatherman forgot it was the first day of spring,” Terese said. She jammed her hands into her coat pockets and hunched up her shoulders.
“We could walk around the corner to that bar where we were last night,” Jack suggested.
“We could,” Terese said. “But I have a better idea. My agency is over on Madison. It’s not too far away. How about a quick visit?”
“You’re inviting me to your office despite knowing how I feel about advertising?” Jack asked.
“I thought it was only medical advertising you were against,” Terese said.
“The truth is I’m not particularly fond of advertising in general,” Jack said. “Last night Chet jumped in before I had a chance to say it.”
“But you’re not opposed to it per se?” Terese questioned.
“Just the medical kind,” Jack said. “For the reasons I gave.”
“Then how about a quick visit? We do a lot more than just medical advertising. You might find it enlightening.”