| A Million Years Before M*A*S*H (or so it seems) |
| Henry's Story Six Years Before |
| "Henry, I have good news," said Lorraine with a cute smile. "The fishing season has now been lengthened?" said Henry. "No, silly, I'm expecting," said Lorraine. "What? Expecting what? A package?" asked Henry. "No, no, no a baby," said Lorraine. Her smile got even bigger as Henry's eyes grew wider. "You mean we're going to have a kid," said Henry in astonishment. "Yes, our very own," said Lorraine. "I think I need to sit down," said Henry. "Aren't you excited?" asked Lorraine. "Yes, I'm very excited. I'm so excited that I think I'm going to faint," said Henry just before he fell out of his chair and banged his head on the table. The next day, Henry strutted into work with a nice bandage on his head. So he didn't attract attention he wore his old fishing hat to cover it up. "Congratulations, Dr. Blake, on your news" said May, one of the nurses in Henry's practice. "That sure is a nice hat you're wearing." “It is, isn’t it, wait, you were making fun of it, weren’t you. Oh well, ole’ Henry strikes out again,” said Henry. “I don’t know how Lorraine can stand that man. He’s a darn good doctor, but naďve as heck,” whispered May to Amelia, another nurse. “Where’s Andrew?” asked Henry with a confused face. “I’m right here, Henry. Here’s all of your patients charts for today. You can probably release the patient in fourteen and the patient in twenty-three needs evaluating. Your coffee is in your office on your desk and I sent your wife some flowers from you. Congratulations! Also, Dr. Steinburger and Dr. Donner are going to come over here from the University of Illinois to do an interview and tour with some their med students on Thursday. Oh, and nice hat,” said Andrew. Andrew kept Henry’s practice under control. Andrew was a sophomore at U of I and Henry had taken a liking to him. “Thanks Andrew, are those…,” said Henry. “I took care of it,” said Andrew. “I don’t know what I would do without you. I’d have to do without you and I don’t know what I’d do and with out you and that’s what I’d do..,” said Henry. “I’ll take that as a compliment,” said Andrew. He ran down the hall. “Dr. Blake,” said Nurse Amelia, “there’s a cast in room six.” “Another cast? Jeez, all I get to do is set casts it seems like. I went to med school for four long years and all I do is set casts. Why can’t I do something complicated and a near death situation. I formed my own practice to help really injured people and all I get to do is set casts? I saw worse cases as a medic on the football team,” said Henry. He strolled into room six. “So, how’d you do it?” asked Henry. “Well, ya see I was waterin’ my begonias and, well, I tripped over then there waterin’ can and that there broke my gosh darn arm,” said the man. Henry rolled his eyes and filled out the chart. That Night “Oh Henry, how’s your head?” asked Lorraine as Henry walked in the door. “Oh, oh my head, it’s doing great,” said Henry. “How have you been doing?” “Oh just fine. I want to thank you for the gift and the note,” said Lorraine with a smile. “What gift?” asked Henry. “The flowers you sent me. Andrew sent them for you, didn’t he? I should’ve married him instead,” said Lorraine. “Yeah, that boy sure is a life saver for me. He basically runs my practice,” said Henry. “But you run my heart.” “Oh Henry,” said Lorraine. Her eyes lit up and they engaged in a lengthy kiss. “I love you,” said Henry. “I love you too,” said Lorraine. A Few Days Later “Honey, are you ever going to take that hat off? I know you like fishing, but that hat?” asked Lorraine while she cooked breakfast. “Not until this bump clears up,” said Henry. “Oh sweetheart, you have to change the porch light again. You’re football buddy came and shot it out yesterday. I still can’t believe he does that,” said Lorraine. “I would too if some idiot tied up my wrong leg in the championship game,” said Henry. “Don’t be so hard on yourself,” said Lorraine. “Though, that is pretty stupid.” “Lorraine, you’re supposed to be on my side,” said Henry. That Day at Work “Henry?” asked man. “That’s me,” said Henry. “I’m Doctor Donner and I work with you good friend Doctor Steinburger and I want to interview you. Well, actually I don’t, but my student, Oliver Hastings is going to,” said the man. “Oke-do-ke,” said Henry. Oliver: Hello Dr. Blake Henry: Hello Oliver O: So what is it like being a doctor? H: Pretty fun, I mostly get to set casts and take out appendixes. O: Nothing very bloody usually? H: No, not usually. It’s pretty clean here. O: Let’s hope so, it being a hospital and all. H: Yeah “Dr. Blake, I’m sorry, I have to interrupt, but there’s an emergency,” said Nurse May. “An emergency? It can wait can’t it? I’m getting my one moment of fame,” said Henry. “Your award will have to wait,” said Nurse May. “That bad, huh?” said Henry. “Be prepared for the worst,” said Nurse Linda. “Get out of the way!” yelled emergency personnel. They came running down the hall with a bloody body and into the emergency room. “This is bad,” said Henry as he ran down the hall after them. Dr. Steinburger appeared with his med students, noticed the situation, and ran down after him, prepared to assist. As soon as Henry entered the room he froze. He knew who that bloody person lying on the table was; it was Andrew! Henry rushed frantically around to try to save him. “Doc, his pressure is falling,” said Nurse Linda. “Come on, hurry you guys we have to save Andrew! He still has a full life to live,” said Henry. He cut open Andrew and searched for the bullet that had invaded his abdomen. This was the kind of thing he had always dreamed of working on, but now he discovered it was the last thing he ever wanted to do. “Henry,” whispered Andrew. “Andrew, you’re gonna make it kid. We’re gonna patch you up well and you’ll be better in no time,” said Henry. “You’re still wearing that hat, I like on you,” said Andrew. His voice started to fade away. “Doctor, it’s dropping rapidly,” said Nurse Linda. “No!” yelled Henry as he frantically tried to revive him. “Bye, Henry,” said Andrew faintly. “No, oh Andrew. I’ll never forget you, I’m going to name my first son after you. Goodbye, Andrew, you were my best friend,” said Henry. “He’s gone,” said Nurse Linda. Henry walked out of the emergency room and slid down to the floor. He broke into a sob. He sat there for several minutes until Dr. Steinburger came out. “Why am I crying? I never cried for anyone else who died. Not my brother, not my father, not my grandfather, no one,” balled Henry. “Because you’re a doctor and you’re used to death. Andrew was your friend, you’re little brother almost. You were very close to him,” said Dr. Steinburger. “Do you believe that?” asked Henry. “I do sometimes,” said Dr. Steinburger. “Just be strong Henry for that kid that’s coming soon.” A smile spread across Henry’s tear-stained face. “Yeah, you’re right. Thank you,” said Henry. That night Henry drove home slowly. He couldn’t get over what had happened that afternoon. He was glad that he didn’t have to deal with that often like those war doctors. Henry was happy for all of those people who are saved. “Lorraine, I have a message,” said Henry. “There was a shooting,…Andrew is dead.” “Oh!” gasped Lorraine as she started to cry. “Oh Henry, I’m so sorry. I’m so, so sorry.” “Don’t be sorry,” said Henry as tears ran down his face. “He’ll be with me forever, his memory will never fade.” “Oh Henry, you maybe naďve, a little oblivious, and slightly crazy, but I could never love another so much,” said Lorraine. They embraced for a long time.“Still, what about that hat?” “An old friend said he liked it on me,” said Henry as he smiled. |
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