Chapter 14: Revelation

Friday, December 23, 2011, 9pm

Jesse and Gregor walked out of the media room side by side. Gregor had just shown Jesse a pair of DVD’s that explained both the mechanics of the new technology he had developed as well as some actual surgery using the equipment. Jesse was stunned into silence as he watched a procedure to replace a faulty heart valve and then a colonoscopy. He understood the heart surgery, but had no idea what the colonoscopy was about until Gregory explained it to him.

“I feel like I just had a high level science lecture, Gregor. Your invention is amazing. I couldn’t believe what I was seeing at first. When you showed me the tiny scar that the heart surgery left, it was even more amazing. It’s one thing to have a TV camera inside you, it’s another for it to be attached to a tool to do surgery. I can’t even begin to imagine how you thought of that.”

“Well, we’re pretty proud of our development, but it was really a case of bringing two different concepts together and making them work in unison. The big thing in medicine these days is to reduce the time in hospital for the patient, and of course, speed up the recovery. Our equipment does exactly that. That colonoscopy you saw took only two hours in the hospital, and one of those hours was for the paperwork,” he grinned.

Jesse could only shake his head. “What’s next?” has asked.

“Oh, we have a couple of projects on the go, but it’s too early to discuss them,” he said. “We wouldn’t want anyone to steal our ideas, you see.”

“Yeah, I understand that,” Jesse agreed. “You know, the thing that amazes me is how much more you can do with so much less. I mean, this equipment isn’t very big. When I got an x-ray done, the nurse had the picture on a TV screen almost right away. Then she just emailed it to my doctor. Everywhere I look, I see more work being done using less energy. Eve’s car is more powerful than cars of the past, but is much more efficient. The two batteries in my little LED flashlight are triple-A, but the light is brighter and stronger than the old flashlights. More work, less power. That’s the big thing I notice.”

“You haven’t been around long enough to see all the changes I’ve seen,” Gregor said, nodding. You’re right, of course. The progress we make is largely due to doing more and yet use less energy to accomplish it. It isn’t just cars, or medical instruments, or batteries. It’s all kinds of accomplishments that have been made in the last half century. I’ve always believed it began with the invention of the transistor. It opened the way for very bright people to understand the opportunity of micro-circuitry. There was a time when computers took up large spaces, but could do only very basic functions. Look at what they can do now. They’re everywhere in our society, from wristwatches to aircraft.”

Jesse was lying in bed that night, wondering how he could grasp all the changes that had taken place in his fifty missing years. Gregor had opened his eyes to the possibilities of the future. What he thought was science fiction, was already in place, with more fantastic developments to come. Maybe it wasn’t possible to keep up with everything from the past. Maybe he would just have to learn to use the technology as it came along and not worry about its mechanics. When he thought about it, it was exactly how Mica was using these devices. He could programme his TV to record, use his computer as an encyclopaedia, and take advantage of the features on his cell phone. It was doubtful he had any idea how it was developed or how it worked. He just knew it did and that was enough.

Saturday, December 24, 2011 7am

Jesse had been up at his usual hour of six and had showered, dressed, and in the kitchen putting the coffee on. He assumed he was the only person up as there was no sound from any of the upstairs bedrooms. He took a banana and retrieved a fresh scone from the cake container, and headed for the great room (an alternate word for living room, he learned). There were still stars visible as there was no light from the town through the south-west facing window wall. There had been an inch or two of new snow, but a glance at the eastern horizon suggested it might be clear that day.

His two hours with Gregor last night were revealing on a number of levels. First, he was a brilliant man. Not just a scientist and inventor, but a practical man. He took known technology and used it to create new or better concepts. The medical device was developed from existing materials from other sources, including spy cameras, optical fibre technology, and space satellite technology.

It took years to reduce the size and improve the quality of the picture transmission, but gradually, they transformed it into a high definition format. That was the final piece that made them multi-millionaires. With a reasonable amount of training, they taught surgeons to use this technology for their benefit. It was accepted in the US first since it was a way to increase hospital revenue. The insurance companies welcomed it when they realized the number of after surgery infections and other complications that lengthened stays or even caused death would be dramatically reduced.

In general, the hospitals chose not to reduce the cost of the procedures, despite the short term of their patients’ stay, but pressure from the public and the insurance carriers forced them to reconsider. At length, after some clandestine negotiations which would be termed highly illegal (price fixing), the two groups came to an agreement. Gregor was aware of this situation, but chose to look the other way. It was not something he was proud of, but he was certain that “blowing the whistle” on the agreement wouldn’t enhance his reputation or his business opportunities. Sooner or later someone would reveal the truth and he and his partner were relieved that they had no part in it, nor could they be charged with not revealing what they believed to be true. Life went on.

Jesse was fascinated with the politics of the situation. Two men had developed a process to aid surgeries, the health of patients, and reduce the cost. Others merely wanted to take advantage of the situation to their own benefit. He could only shake his head at the cold-bloodedness of it all. In Canada, there was little benefit from cheating the system, since the government was the insurer in most cases. Doctors worked to a set fee schedule and that reflected both time and expertise. Gregor said it was a shame that the US had no interest in publicly funded healthcare. Too many vested interests were at stake, including lawyers, he said.

Jesse recalled his thoughts from the previous evening. He wondered if Gregor was the kind of person to whom he could reveal his situation. It was a big gamble, but the more he was around the man, the more he thought it might be worth the risk. First, he would have to broach the idea with Eve, but regardless of her concerns, he might just chance it anyway. He knew he was getting to the point when he couldn’t keep this strange new life a secret much longer. He was becoming desperate to have a normal life, even if it wasn’t the one he expected to have.

He must have drifted off sitting in the easy chair that morning. He woke to the feeling of something poking his arm.

“Are you awake?” Mica asked, standing beside his chair. He was barefoot, wearing only his pyjamas

“I am now,” Jesse yawned. “What time is it?”

“It’s eight o’clock. I think I heard Mom getting up.”

“Okay. Have you had breakfast yet?”

“Nope. Mom said she was going to make waffles. I love waffles.”

“Yeah ... me too. Why don’t you have a banana and some juice while you’re waiting.”

“Okay. Don’t go away,” he said, trotting off to the kitchen.

“Go away where?” Jesse chuckled.

He looked up and saw Eve coming down the stairs from the loft. She was dressed in jeans and a sweater, looking very fresh. Not for the first time he admired her beauty. She deserved a man in her life and it was a constant wonder to him that there didn’t appear to anyone on the horizon. She had everything a mature man would want. She wasn’t just a pretty face, but a bright mind and a sense of humour as well. She was nothing like Jesse’s original image of a psychiatrist. If he was older, he would be more than interested in her.

“Good morning, Jesse,” she said brightly.

“‘Mornin’ Eve. Looks like it’s going to be a nice day. The sun on the golf course looks really pretty.”

“Yes, it does,” she agreed, looking out the big front window toward the south. “Looks like some cross country skiers have been out there already.”

“Do they allow that?” he wondered, seeing the tracks on the fresh snow.

“Yes ... they don’t do any harm and it keeps them off the roads and away from other hazards.”

“Eve, can I talk to you in private when we get a chance?” he asked carefully.

She looked a bit surprised by the question. “Yes ... of course. Is everything alright?”

“Yes ... everything is alright, but I do have a question for you that would be just between you and me.”

“Sure. After breakfast and before everyone gets ready to be on their way?”

“That would be great. Thanks,” he smiled. The smile seemed to reassure Eve that there wasn’t a problem to be dealt with.

Mica was sitting at the breakfast table, watching the first batch of waffles as they steamed in the waffle iron. He knew that when the steam stopped, the waffles would be ready and he was on top of the list for the first one.

“It’s stopped steaming, Mom,” he announced.

“Okay,” Eve chuckled, knowing just how much her son loved waffles. They didn’t make them often, so it was a real treat when she did offer them.

Jesse was just as grateful, as he could recall his mother making them as well, although they weren’t the big, thick ones that Eve’s machine produced. No matter. They tasted just as good, if not better, so between Mica and him, there wouldn’t be any going to waste.

Gregor and Sabina joined them just as Mica was being served, rubbing their hands in anticipation at the breakfast. Eve had fried a half-pound of bacon in her skillet while a fresh batch of coffee was on the go. There wasn’t a lot of conversation over the next half hour as their breakfasts were devoured by the hungry five. Mica got his second waffle as requested, and that brought an end to production. It was all he could do to finish it, but he didn’t leave a scrap on his plate.

“That was great, Eve,” Jesse said. “Thank you. I’m so full I won’t have to eat for some time now.”

“Oh, I’m sure we can find a way for you to burn off the extra calories,” she teased. The plan was for a day of skiing, taking advantage of the bright sunny day. Jesse was thinking of the view he would get from the gondola on their way up the mountain.

“I’ll help with the dishes, Eve,” Jesse said.

“Thank you, Jesse. Most of them can go in the dishwasher. Just the bowls, the skillet, and waffle plates to do.”

Her parents and Mica left them in the kitchen and Jesse thought this was the opportunity to talk to Eve.

“Eve, I was really impressed with your father last night. He’s a really smart guy and I wondered afterwards if he wasn’t the kind of person that would understand what happened to me. I mean, you would be there to back up what I’d be telling him, so he wouldn’t think I was just some goofy kid playing a joke on him.”

“Oh ... I didn’t expect that. You’re right about my father. He is special. He is also very thoughtful. It would be a risk, but I think I can count on him to keep this in confidence. He’s going to wonder more about me and he will want to know why I believe you. I’ll have to give him the evidence I’ve collected, but again, I trust him. I trust my mother, as well, but I’ll let Dad decide if she should know. When do you want to do this?”

“I don’t know. It’s Christmas Eve and I don’t think I want to spring it on him today. Maybe later. It will be sometime before we have to go back to Vancouver.”

“Very well,” Eve said after giving it some thought. “It’s your decision, Jesse. I’ll back you whatever you decide.”

“Thank you, Eve. I knew I could count on you,” he smiled, unexpectedly hugging her.

Saturday, December 24, 2011 8:30pm

“Okay, Mica,” Eve announced to the excited boy nearly bouncing in his seat. Each person gets one gift, then it’s off to bed with you. Understood?”