Page 91 of RomeAntically Challenged
“No,” Dr. Widdle said.
At the same time, Nurse Tran stepped into the room, getting nose-to-nose with Dr. Widdle. “Dr. Widdle called you to help. Looking at this patient, what would you say is the prognosis?”
“An ear infection,” Annie said, thankful to be on this side of Nurse Tran’s wrath for once.
“Spot-on diagnosis.” Nurse Tran volleyed, “Wouldn’t you agree, Dr. Widdle?”
The doctor cleared his throat uncomfortably. “Absolutely.”
“Then we are all in agreement.” Nurse Tran steepled her fingers, and Annie knew she was just warming up and was about to bring the heat. “As you can see, Miss Walsh is a gifted physician’s assistant whose talents are better used elsewhere than on a simple ear infection. She is not to be mistaken for a translator from patient relations. Understood?” Dr. Widdle nodded. “Not that this could have any bearing on her job performance, but she is Vietnamese, not Chinese. So you have not only offended her, you have offended Ms. Chin, who would never make the mistake of mixing up you and Harvey Miller, the security officer who works the ER.”
“I am so sorry for my ignorance,” he said to Annie, the genuine embarrassment in his expression making it hard to hold anything against him. “It won’t happen again.”
“Good, because this hospital was lucky when Anh agreed to lend our small facility her expertise for the short time she can spare. I am sure there will be a case when her talents will be critical to your department, and I would hate for you to make a bad impression twice.”
“Absolutely, Nurse Tran.” He turned to Annie. “And I would love to consult with you at a later date.”
Before Annie could answer, Nurse Tran said, “If we can spare her. She is an extremely valuable asset to our department. For the record, a plea of ignorance is beneath you, Dr. Widdle.”
With that she ushered Annie out of the room and down the hallway. When they were out of the ER, and hearing range, Annie said, “Valuable asset?”
“You are,” Nurse Tran said, then broke out into a laugh. “I shouldn’t have been so hard on him. He’s a nice man. But he asked you to come all the way over here to translate when we have an entire department for that and he was just too impatient to wait for them to fulfill his request.”
“And the other part? About him and Harvey?”
She stopped and faced Annie. “Did I ever tell you about the time I was called in to assist with a craniectomy on a sixteen-year-old? It wasn’t until I had scrubbed up and was told to stand aside that I realized they already had a full surgical team. Then I saw the photographer and knew having me in the photo would showcase the difficult surgery and that there was diversity here at Rome General.”
Annie covered her mouth. “What did you do?”
“I made myself useful, then asked for a promotion because if I was talented enough to be on a surgical team who successfully pulled off a craniectomy on a teenager, then surely I deserved one.” She gave Annie’s cheek a maternal pat. “Just like you can now use consulting on a difficult case with Dr. Widdle on your résumé.”
“Thank you,” Annie said. “You didn’t have to step in on my behalf, but I am grateful you did.”
“I’ll have to tell you about Nurse Kramer, my boss when I first started here, and the time she ripped one of the thoracic surgeons a new one when he told me how he took his coffee.” With another pat, Nurse Tran started walking toward the elevator.
“Aren’t you going to tell me?” Annie called after her.
“I will, at the next Pho Shizzle.”
Annie ran to catch up with her. “You want me to come to the next potluck?”
“Yes. You left so fast I didn’t have a chance to tell you how much the ladies loved your mom’s dumpling soup. It was the winner of the night.” She gave Annie a warm smile. “We all decided you were just what the Pho Shizzles need, a breath of fresh air.”
“Really?”
“Here.” She handed Annie a slip of paper with a name and number.
“What’s this?”
“That is my sister-in-law, Van. She is a retired schoolteacher who now runs a Vietnamese school out of her house. Tell her I sent you and she’ll give you fifteen percent off the language package. She’ll try to give you only ten percent—she’s cheap—but barter until she gives you fifteen. Bartering is very Vietnamese. It will impress her.”
“Why are you giving me this?” She’d never mentioned her desire to know more about where she came from or learn to speak her native language.
“So that when you come to my home, you don’t come as a coworker or a student looking to learn about who you are. You come to my house as my friend.”
Maybe Annie hadn’t been the only one playing Twenty Inappropriate Questions the other night. “I’ll call her tonight.”
“Good. You can learn how to properly pronounce your name.” The doors opened and the nurse stepped inside, pushing the button to her floor. “Oh, and we’re continuing our soup theme for the fall, so the next dish isPho Ga, and we are all anxious to try your mom’s chicken noodle soup recipe, if she has one.”
