This is a fictional account.
*
The intern took her chart and examined it. She was a car accident victim just brought in to the emergency room by the EMTs. The nurses had her hooked up to an IV drip and mildly sedated per his instructions. He had ordered x-rays too and examined those. It was a simple break of the femur. He would have her moved to the OR to set the break and cast it. He was just about to hang the chart back up when he glanced at her name again: Kathleen McRey. 'Geez, that sounds familiar,' he thought, hanging the chart back and going to order the procedures.
Jay didn't think any more about Kathleen for a while as other victims from the four cars and one semi-truck pile-up on the interstate needed immediate attention too. It was a busy day for the small town ER. They didn't have the staff and space of the bigger hospitals closer in to New York City.
Jay Johnson was in his last year of residency at this small hospital in upstate New Jersey. He would be moving fulltime to Overlook Hospital in Summit, New Jersey in two months and couldn't wait. His residency here had been great but he enjoyed the action of a bigger hospital like he'd had at the University of Pennsylvania.
He examined the other patients. He had two neck injuries from whiplash and one head injury. There was another broken leg and a broken arm. The worst was a pregnant woman with internal bleeding which he was monitoring closely. He didn't think she would lose the baby and her doctor was on his way to help out. None of the injuries appeared life threatening and for that they were all grateful.
The OR was ready for him and he scrubbed to set the breaks and prepare the casts. Kathleen was the first in and he examined her chart again before beginning the procedure. The anesthesiologist had her under and ready for the operation. Jay looked at her sleeping comfortably. Something about her face really struck him. She had long dark hair, a thin nose, and high cheekbones. She was quite cute by most any man's standards. As the nurses shifted the bedcovers aside to expose the whole leg to her groin, he noticed she was a petite thing. Maybe five foot two and slender.
The operation went smoothly, as did the others, and by the end of his shift everything was back under control. Most of the patients were now being picked up by relatives. The pregnant woman would be staying the night for extra monitoring. Her doctor and he agreed they had addressed the problem and she would be fine and not lose the baby.
Jay made his last rounds before leaving. Kathleen was still there so he stopped in to see how she was doing. Awake now, she was sitting up in bed dressed to leave. The nurses had called a cab for her. Apparently her relatives were all far away.
"How are you feeling, Kathleen?" Jay asked, upon entering her bed area of the ER and grabbing her chart one last time.
"Okay, thanks, Dr. Johnson. Will my leg heal okay?"
"You should be fine in another couple months. You might need some rehab to build your strength in that leg back but nothing too major I would think. You should consult your local doctor."
"Thanks, I will," Kathleen replied.
"Good. Well, good luck. Someone coming to get you?" Dr. Johnson asked before leaving.
"A cab is coming to take me home," Kathleen said.
"Oh, no relatives near by?" he asked.
"No, all moved to Florida. I'm the only one left here in Jersey."
"Were you down there for the Christmas Holidays then?" Dr. Johnson asked.
"No, I stayed here with my boyfriend but that looks like it's over now too," Kathleen stated.
"Oh, sorry to hear that."
"No, it's okay. It's been coming for a while now. I'm glad in a way to be moving on."
A nurse came in to tell Kathleen that the taxi had called to say it would be another twenty minutes. He was stuck in rush hour traffic coming back from the airport. This small town only had a couple cabs available.
"Oh, damn. I guess I'm stuck here a little longer," Kathleen said.
"Where you headed?" Dr. Johnson asked.
Kathleen told him where her apartment was.
"That's pretty much on my way home too. You want a lift?"
"That would be great. I need to get home to feed my cat," Kathleen responded.
"I have a cat too. I'll take her then, Sally," Dr. Johnson said to the nurse.
Sally called the cab company to cancel and they both helped Kathleen into the doctor's car he had pulled up to the ER entrance. A minute later they were headed out of the hospital.
"Thanks, Dr. Johnson. I really appreciate this," Kathleen said.
"Oh, no problem and call me Jay."
"Okay, Jay, thanks."
"Kathleen, your name is familiar to me. You also look like a girl I use to know a long time ago," Jay said.
"Really? How long ago?"
"Like in fourth grade," Jay said.
"Did you have a teacher named Mrs. McCarthy for fourth grade?" Kathleen asked.
"Yes, I believe that was her name! Oh, my, god! Is it really you?"
"I guess so. This is unbelievable," Kathleen added.
"It sure is. How have you been? I mean besides the accident and all," Jay quickly corrected himself from misstating the obvious.
"Well, not too great with breaking up with my boyfriend, like I told you," Kathleen said.
"You'll find someone else soon, I'm sure," Jay said.
"Maybe, but I'm thinking about moving to Florida too so I'm closer to my family."
"That is probably a good move but I won't suggest going anywhere until after your leg is healed," Jay offered.
"Yeah, that makes sense, huh?" Kathleen agreed.
"Hey, Kathleen. Do you remember in fourth grade I gave you a valentine and a fake ring?" Jay said, a little nervously.
"You did. I remember getting valentines from several boys but not exactly who," Kathleen replied.
"I remember you were the hottest girl in the class. I think all the guys wanted to be your valentine," Jay stated.
"That's sweet of you to remember that. I wish I had as many suitors now," Kathleen said, with a big grin.
"I think the rings we gave you were made out of cheap plastic but they looked real with fake diamonds and all," Jay exclaimed, with a big smile too.
They talked about their lives since grammar school. Jay had obviously become a doctor and was still single, while Kathleen was manager of a local bookstore. They had a few laughs as they talked. All too quickly, Jay pulled up in front of Kathleen's apartment building. Kathleen had never used crutches before so Jay offered to assist her inside which she readily accepted.
It was only a two-story apartment building but without an elevator so Kathleen had to navigate the stairs. Jay helped her but also instructed her on how to use the crutches. She managed pretty well and they got to her apartment with relative ease. Jay waited while she retrieved her keys from her purse and opened the door.
"Okay, looks like you can manage from here," Jay said, getting set to leave.
"Oh, no, the cat," Kathleen yelled, unable to move quick enough to get inside before the cat started out the door.
She tried to block its way with a crutch but the cat easily eluded it. However, Jay was right there and managed to coral the cat before she could get away. It was a cute black and white cat. His name was Boots, Kathleen told him. She moved into the apartment leaving Jay to follow holding the cat. Kathleen headed for a chair in her living room and plopped down, glad to be off the crutches.
"You can put him down anywhere," Kathleen said.
Jay set the cat down on the living room carpet. Kathleen had a nicely decorated apartment from what Jay could see in just the kitchen and living room.
"Are you going to be okay?" Jay asked.
"I'm a little wiped out but I should be okay," Kathleen answered.