Chapter 3

I guess this day was meant to be a day full of surprises.

Don’s calling was first. Hearing early from Bob Simon wanting to meet me in his London office instead of our scheduled meeting here, another. But the biggest, yet not unexpected surprise was from Tara and Peggy when they returned with Don’s car.

NOTE. I’ve added a small portion of another story, reserved for Premier SOL readers to highlight the nature of Dr. Weaver.

Don’s initial exposure to Julie was standing in-line to pay at a small country store. He heard:

“Julie, I need to put this other stuff back, It’s too damn hot to carry it back home, besides the milk would sour and the margarine melt. Jamie got a cold or something so I need the can of soup, the bottle of aspirin and some bread; none of that will melt and I can carry that much.” She laughed.

“Yeah, it’s going to be hot today. I’ll put the rest of the stuff back, don’t worry about it. I hope Jamie is OK, Jen.”

From Don talking to Julie: “I hope so but what’s the story of the girl that just left?”

“Oh, that’s Jenny. Sonny won’t give her any more credit, I guess she forgot. She’s had some bad things happen to her and times have been tough. Of course on a day like today there is no way she’d be able to carry all this stuff home, it’s too hot to walk three miles with this. I feel sorry for her, we went to school together and her boyfriend got himself killed in Iraq last month.

“Look Julie, bag her stuff up, add it and whatever she owes to my bill, will you? Here is my license and my business card, verify I am who I say and I’ll catch up to her and drive her home. No one deserves to suffer for losing a loved one, especially one who served. OK?”

She checked a list, and then she spoke.

“You sure, everything is like $73.50.

“Here is $200, put the change on some kind of future account for her if you would Julie.”

Julie decides to come along. It took Julie to do some pulling and prodding but finally got her charge to the car. I opened the trunk again and Julie took her bag and put it away with the rest. She opened the rear door and a blast of cold air seemed to be all it took to get Jenny into the car, Julie went in the back with her.

I pulled up to the front of the house. We all got out of the car. I used the remote and opened the trunk. Jenny took her light bag and raced inside; Julie took one and left me the two heavy ones. Before she and I went much further than the porch, we heard a scream. While we were both going in, Jenny came out yelling that her sister, Jamie was burning up.

Dr. Weaver to the rescue. “Hi Beth, from (the Brands call center) customer service, going from where I am we need to go to the closest ER. Can you also call ahead to tell them we are on the way and guide us there, I am new around here and this is an ‘Emergency’ Beth.”

Beth must have some pull, they had both a wheelchair and gurney waiting when we pulled up to ER. I picked Jamie up and put her on the gurney, then said some magic words.

“I’m a doctor! The young lady has a high fever and may be dehydrated and suffering from pneumonia.”

“Yes Doctor!”

I left the car there; MD on a plate should mean something, even here. Julie and Jamie went with the nurse. I went to the admittance desk to work some more magic while the staff there already had taken Jamie in while Jen and I waited while she struggled with 900 forms. This was not the six-hour waiting like back home, being a MD helps.

I asked the nurse to use my credit card but to have her sister Jenny fill in all the particulars. I said, “I’m a MD but not licensed to practice here but I appreciate the professional courtesy. I want to help the girls before it got serious.”

Later. A doctor came out; held out his hand and we shook.

“I think she will be fine. She was dehydrated and just the start of pneumonia. She has to finish the IV first then she can go home. I gave her vitamin and antibiotic shots and a script for 300 MG Cleocin, have her get it filled and follow the directions. Take plenty of water and ... Opps, sorry, I guess there was no need to tell you Doctor.”

The take on these few extracts is that Dr. Weaver is a good guy. Despite his own problems and what might justify a certain cynicism, he still wants to help people. A good trait for a MD.

The other surprise. Bob Simon sounded both excited and upset. “Mr. Jefferson, I don’t care what it costs but I have a problem and need your help. Long story short, what I intended to hire you for has changed. My chief legal beagle has been arrested for embezzlement and I am in trouble with a capital T.”