Chapter 26

The ambulance carrying Steve Stone and his patient arrived at the hospital without further incident. As the injured man was wheeled into the Emergency Room, a doctor came over to examine the wounded leg. After a quick examination of the leg, the doctor told the nurses to prep the man for surgery. Turning to Steve, she said, "Doctor, you saved this man's leg and possibly his life as well."

"Gracias, Doctora. Would it be possible to come into the O.R. to observe the surgery? I am still a student and have much to learn."

"For a student, you show great skill. Of course you may come in and assist me. My name is Dra. Anastasia Morella," she replied as she showed the way to where they would scrub.

"I'm Steve Stone."

"Are you from the U.S.?"

"Yes. I graduated from the University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine and I am down here on a special fellowship to work with the people in the barrios before I do my residency. I'm glad I came down here because there are so many people here who need medical care and it gives me a great deal of satisfaction when I can ease their suffering."

"I'm sorry about what happened in your country."

"What happened? I've been so busy that I haven't heard any news about the outside world in almost a week."

"You didn't hear what happened!?" exclaimed Dra. Morella.

"No. What happened? From the tone of your voice, it must have been something major."

"You didn't hear about the plane crashing into the U.S. Capitol Thursday night and killing practically the entire government?"

Steve stopped, in shock, and held out his hand and supported himself against the wall. "Could you repeat what you said? I don't think I heard you correctly." He stood there with a look of utter disbelief on his face."

"A plane crashed into the U.S. Capitol building Thursday night during a big speech and exploded. Almost the entire government was killed. A woman, I can't remember her name, is now President."

"Was she the Secretary of Education by any chance?"

"I don't know. She might have been, but I don't remember for sure." She pondered for a moment. "Oh damn! What is her name?"

"Was it Kathleen Lehrer by any chance?"

"Yes, yes, I think that might have been her name. Do you know her or something?"

"Do I know her? Kathleen Lehrer was the one who inspired me to become a doctor and come down here after medical school to help the people in the barrios. She's President of the United States?"

"I think that's her name. After we fix this man's leg, I'll get you a paper so that you can read all about it."

"Thank you." They then proceeded to scrub and prepare themselves for the implantation of the femur nail that would enable the shattered bone to eventually heal.

Two and a half hours later, the patient was wheeled out of the operating room and into the recovery room to be monitored until after he had come out from under the anesthesia. The doctor and the student went in to wash up and remove their caps and masks.

"Thank you for assisting me. You did a good job suturing that artery before you got him here. You have a bright future ahead of you."

"Thank you, Doctora. I learned a lot observing your techniques."

"You can call me Anastasia. Let's go to the lounge so you can read about what's been happening in your country."

When they arrived at the lounge, a day old copy of El Tiempo was on the table. As Steve was picking up the paper, Anastasia asked him if he wanted some coffee. After receiving his affirmation, she walked over to the coffee pot and looked at the dregs still cooking in the bottom of the pot.

"Oh God, let me make some fresh coffee. This stuff here will put hair on your toenails."

Steve chuckled at that remark and continued reading the lead story, which detailed the bombing of the U.S. Capitol and the accession of a woman to lead the most powerful democracy in the world. "I'll be damned! Kathy's President!" he exclaimed.

"Is that your friend?"

"Yes, I've known her for years. I got mixed up with the wrong crowd when I was a teenager and she had taken me under her wing and helped me get straightened out. She persuaded me to go back to school, tutored me, and inspired me to make something useful of my life."

"Did you know," continued Steve, "that she knows your new leaders, Jorge Guerrillero and Maria Velazquez?"

"Really? How does she know them?"

"When Kathy was still married, she and her husband came to Mexico on a vacation and went into the barrios. She was so touched by her experiences that she was determined to do something about it. She came back several times, even arranging to teach during two sabbaticals here. She talked with a professor from Temple University in Philadelphia who arranged for a scholarship for a participant of Temple's Latin American Studies Semester program to come to Mexico City to study at the University of Mexico. I am here on a LASS scholarship doing independent research on health conditions in the barrios and steps I have taken to try to improve those conditions. So, because of the inspiration of the new President of the United States, I am now here."

"She sounds like a very special person."

"She is. If anyone can straighten out the mess that's developed in the U.S., she can."

"When was the last time you saw her?"

"Well, I was back home for the Christmas holidays and she invited me to come to Washington to witness her swearing in as Secretary of Education. I was a guest at her home for a few days after she was sworn in and then I returned here the day after Christmas." He shook his head. "And now she's President! I still can't believe it. I wonder if there's any way I could contact her."

"I heard earlier that telephone service to places outside of Mexico had been cut off. You can try the phone in my office to see if it's still off."

"Thank you. I really appreciate it. I wonder where I can get the phone number for the White House."

"Why don't you try the U.S. Embassy?"

"That's a good idea. I should have thought of it. I guess I'm more tired than I had thought I was."

As they left the lounge, they heard his name being paged over the hospital public address system.

"Who the hell knows I'm here?"

"I don't know. Why don't you answer the page and find out?" replied Anastasia, showing Steve to a phone.

He picked up the phone, called the hospital operator, and was told that a gentleman was waiting for him in the hospital lobby. When Steve asked who the gentleman was, the operator told him that the man did not identify himself. After hanging up the phone, Steve turned to Anastasia and asked her how to get to the lobby. After telling Steve that she would show him the way, the two of them proceeded to the lobby, where they encountered a crowd of about eighty people whose attention was focused on a fairly tall man, by Mexican standards, who was standing in the middle of the crowd of journalists and television cameras.

Steve, who stood six feet four inches tall, was immediately visible to the man in the middle of the crowd, who started toward him through a path that opened among the crowd.

"Dr. Stone, how is your patient?" asked Jorge Guerrillero.