Chapter 2

The next day Scott kept the appointment he had made two weeks ago with Doctor Kevin Brady. Doctor Brady was the older brother of Scott’s friend Kyle Brady and had been Scott’s doctor ever since he had started his medical practice. Scott hadn’t had a complete physical exam in the time he was in South America.

Scott was sitting in an exam room while a nurse took his blood pressure and updated his medical history. After she left the room Doctor Brady walked in and said, “I haven’t seen you in quite a while Scott, how are you doing?”

“Fine I think Doc but it has been a while since I had a physical exam.”

“Take off your shirt and sit up here on the table.”

Scott complied and the Doctor listened with his stethoscope and then did some probing of Scott’s body with his hands.

“Everything looks good. If you haven’t eaten yet I will order a complete blood panel that can be done today along with some other tests. Do I need to check for STDs?”

“I don’t think so but to play safe you might as well.”

“Any other problems?”

“My left hip has been giving me some problems for some time and the pain seems to be getting worse if I walk for a while. I would like for that to be checked out to see what the problem is. Maybe it is a result of the football I played in college.”

“I think you are too young for a hip replacement but let me give you the name of Doctor Myron Crandall who is a good orthopedic surgeon. He is someone I would go to if I had hip problems.”

Scott thanked Kevin and left the exam room to go upstairs to have his blood drawn along with a urine test. Once that was done and he was in his car he phoned Doctor Crandall’s office for an appointment. Has luck would have it there was a cancellation and Scott was given an eight o’clock appointment the next day.

At Doctor Crandall’s office Scott was first given a number of forms to complete and sign. That being done he was sent down to the basement in the building to have x-rays of his hip done.

Scott was back in an exam room when the door open and he assumed Doctor Crandall walked in.

The Doctor didn’t have the best bedside manner as without introducing himself he came right to the point speaking somewhat rapidly, “I have looked at the x-rays and there is no indication you need a hip replacement. What I think you have is a case of bursitis. I am going to prescribe some anti-inflammatory medicine and four weeks of physical therapy. That should relieve your pain and correct the problem. If that doesn’t help see me in four weeks” and he turned and left the room.

Short and sweet thought Scott.

Scott asked the nurse who gave him the prescription where to go for the physical therapy. She directed him back down to the area that was next to where he had gone for the x-ray.

When he was there he registered for the four weeks three times a week of therapy at 8 am starting tomorrow. The schedule he was given indicated Sandra Torrance was to be his therapist.

The following morning Scott was right on-time and so was Sandra or Sandi as she said she preferred to be called. Sandi was about five feet five inches tall, in the one hundred and twenty pound class with dishwater blond hair she was wearing in a ponytail. Facially he would say she was cute even with her wearing only a little bit of makeup. He would guess she was about five years younger than him.

The physical therapy session lasted for forty five minutes and consisted of Scott lying on his side on a massage table with her using a rolling pin type device rolling it up and down his hip and thigh. Once that was done she then did some massaging and moved his legs to do some muscle stretching. After that it was on the machines basically doing more muscle stretching. Scott had to admit that he did feel good but a little sore after the session.

Midway through the four week period Scott attended a wedding reception. After giving his best to the bride and groom he socialized with a few of his friends that were there. They brought him up to date on things that had happened while he was in South America. Unfortunately there were no single ladies there that he could hook up with but he knew it was a long shot at best that something like that would happen.

In another week Scott would go back to work. The pain in his hip was markedly reduced which had him decide to stop his physical therapy at the end of this week. He had developed a nice relationship with Sandi and had gotten to know her quite well. He enjoyed talking to her probably because of her outgoing personality. He learned where she went to school and that she was married with no children.

Sandi confided in Scott that her husband owned a small electronics company and he was a very inventive fellow. He had applied and been granted several patents concerning long range wireless transmissions that involved drones and had other both civilian and the military applications. A large military electronics company wanted these patents and had made an offer to purchase her husband’s company for an amount which was in the high eight figures. The husband was willing to sell the company but was negotiating and would agree to sell when the offer hit nine figures.

After what was to be his last session with Sandi he thanked her for what she did and said he felt much better. She asked him to commit to continuing the exercises she had showed him and he said he would although in his own mind he doubted that he would. It’s too bad that Sandi was married he thought because of how nice of a person she was and how she looked he would have tried to put a move on her if she wasn’t.

At work Scott reported to and talked with Ray Damarion as to what his new assignment would be.

Ray said, “First of all I want to say that you did a good job in being the project manager on the dam. After the slow down problem was solved you managed to get ahead of schedule in completing the project. You did need some help from Matt Block to solve the problem. I hoped you learned something from him. John Rollins who is a good man and who has replaced you should complete the project in another two years.”

“Well I did learn from Matt not to play poker with him.”

“That’s funny you say that because John Pope the CEO said the same thing. You should know that Matt Block was complimentary towards you in his report. Because of that and your performance on the project we are putting you on the Quality Assurance team. You will be reviewing the status of all our other projects we have going and are contemplating in doing. There will be some travelling involved but there is also a considerable amount of files and reports to review which can be done here.”

Scott was introduced to the two other team members and after being briefed on the current review was shown to his desk and started to work.

It was three weeks later on a Saturday that Scott was at Costco doing some shopping. He was standing in line to pay for the few non-perishable items he was purchasing when he felt someone give him a jab to his shoulder. He turned and saw Sandi standing there looking up at him with a big smile on her face.

“Been doing those exercises that you said you would do?”

Somewhat sheepishly he responded, “Not has religiously as I should but I feel much better.”

“You know you need to do them or your pain may come back.”

His response of, “Yes mother” caused Sandi to laugh. It was a pleasant laugh.

Pointing toward the food court Scott said, “After you check out can I buy you a hot dog or a smoothie.”

With a bigger smile on her face she said, “You big spender you, you are going to spoil me treating me to those fancy places” and laughed more.

Scott was sitting at a table eating his hot dog and sipping on a soda when Sandi came there pushing her shopping cart. She thanked Scott for the diet soda and berry smoothie that was there waiting for her. Taking a seat she asked Scott what was new and he told her about his new assignment.

When he asked Sandi what was new with her she floored him when she said with the smile gone from her face and bitterness in her voice, “Not much other than two days ago my husband asked me for a divorce.”