“How the hell did you get in here?” Kim asked with indignation. “And how did you know I was here?” The surgical lounge was like a sanctuary that even nonsurgical doctors were hesitant to violate. For Kim the idea of being confronted by anyone here, much less Kelly Anderson, was too much to bear.
“Brian and I knew you were here thanks to your former wife,” Kelly said. “As for how we got up here, I’m happy to say we were invited and even escorted by Mr. Lindsey Noyes.” Kelly gestured toward a gray-suited gentleman standing in the doorway to the hall who’d hesitated to come in himself. “He’s from the AmeriCare-University Med Center PR department.”
“Evening, Dr. Reggis,” Lindsey said nervously, “we just need a moment of your time. Miss Anderson has graciously decided to do a story commemorating the six-month anniversary of our hospital merger. Of course, we’d like to assist her in any way we can.”
For a moment Kim’s dark eyes darted back and forth between Kelly and Lindsey. On the spur of the moment he wasn’t certain who irritated him more, the muckraking journalist or the meddlesome administrator. Ultimately he decided he didn’t care. “If you want to help her, then you talk to her,” Kim said before turning to go back into the locker room.
“Dr. Reggis, wait!” Kelly blurted. “I’ve already heard the prepared AmeriCare side. We’re interested in your personal view, from the trenches, so to speak.”
With the locker-room door open a crack, Kim paused and debated. He looked back at Kelly Anderson. “After that piece you did on cardiac surgery, I vowed never to talk to you again.”
“And why is that?” Kelly said. “It was an interview. I didn’t put words in your mouth.”
“You quoted me out of context by editing your questions,” Kim fumed. “And you left out most of the issues I said were of primary importance.”
“We always edit our interviews,” Kelly said. “It’s a fact of life.”
“Find another victim,” Kim said.
Kim pushed open the locker-room door and had taken a step within, when Kelly called out again: “Dr. Reggis! Just answer one question. Has the merger been as good for the community as AmeriCare contends? They say they did it for purely altruistic reasons. They insist it’s the best thing that’s happened to medical care in this city since the discovery of penicillin.”
Kim hesitated again. The absurdity of such a comment made it impossible for him not to respond. Once again he turned back to Kelly. “I have trouble understanding how anyone could say such a ludicrous statement and have a conscience clear enough to sleep at night. The truth is that the entire rationale for the merger was to benefit AmeriCare’s bottom line. Anything else they may tell you is rationalization and pure bull.”
The door closed behind Kim. Kelly looked at Brian. Brian smiled and gave Kelly the thumbs-up sign. “I got it,” Brian said.
Kelly smiled back. “Perfect! That was just what the doctor ordered.”
Lindsey coughed politely into a closed fist. “Obviously,” he said, “Dr. Reggis has given his personal view, which I can assure you is not shared by other members of the professional staff.”
“Oh really?” Kelly questioned. She let her eyes roam the room. “Anybody here wish to make a comment concerning Dr. Reggis’s statement?”
For a moment no one moved.
“Pro or con?” Kelly prodded.
Still no one moved. In the sudden silence, the hospital page could be heard like the backdrop of a TV melodrama.
“Well,” Kelly said brightly, “thank you all for your time.”
Tom slipped on his long white hospital coat and arranged the collection of pens, pencils, and flashlight in its upper front pocket. Kim had come into the locker room and, after removing his clothes and throwing them into the hamper, had gotten into the shower. He’d not said a word.
“Aren’t you going to tell me who was out there?” Tom said.
“It was Kelly Anderson from WENE News,” Kim said from the shower.
“In our surgical lounge?” Tom questioned.
“Can you believe it?” Kim said. “She was dragged up here by one of the AmeriCare admin guys. Apparently my ex told her where to find me.”