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Post by sloanelewis on Mar 25, 2009 21:47:33 GMT -5
*New Day*
Sloane had been sent on an errand for her mother, all the way in Manhattan. It made sense that Mother had sent her instead of her younger sister, Eloise, she always dawdled. Sloane couldn't help but after she got the special item her mother wanted for Papa's birthday cake, she had to make her own little errand. Every time she was in Manhattan, she paused in front of the Mount Siani Hospital.
The building was so majestic, Sloane could only imagine the pride the nurses and doctors felt when they strode into the building, knowing they were saving lives. Sloane wanted to feel that pride some day. She wanted to become a nurse.
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Post by Dr. Walter House on Apr 2, 2009 21:01:49 GMT -5
Doctor Walter House rubbed his forehead, fighting the headache that was threatening. Another patient lost, another discharge, another discharge, another broken arm, another broken nose, broken broken broken, fixed, fixed, fixed. He sighed, tired from his shift and eager to get home.
He nearly ran into the girl standing outside and stopped short, turning around, "Are you alright?"
There were times patients and merely wandered into the hospital with a cramp or headache and it ended in something much worse that they were barely aware of.
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Post by sloanelewis on Apr 2, 2009 21:32:36 GMT -5
"Are you alright?"
"Oh um yes, I'm fine, sir. I was just um, well I was staring at the hospital. I like to watch the nurses in their uniforms. It's a busy place, and its interesting to see," She explained to the man hastily, biting her lip, hoping he wasn't angry she was standing there. She tugged on one of her pinned up braids and smiled shyly at the man, a little uncertain.
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Post by Dr. Walter House on Apr 3, 2009 11:04:25 GMT -5
He nodded, then placed his hand on her shoulder, barely touching, but lead her out of the way and to a bench. He sat down, "Well, just stay out of the way. Are you interest in becoming a nurse when you're older?" He moved a hand into his jacket inside pocket, taking a cigarette case out.
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Post by sloanelewis on Apr 3, 2009 16:27:52 GMT -5
"Well, just stay out of the way. Are you interest in becoming a nurse when you're older?"
Sloane looked up at the man in surprise and seeing his uniform underneath his coat pocket, she knew he was a doctor. She wanted to tell the doctor that she had always wanted to be a nurse from the moment she had learned about them. Nurses were so elegant in their uniforms. They were ladies with important jobs. They saved lives. For a woman to do such a thing just seemed so independent, brave, and wonderful. She knew from listening to her little sister chatter that adults didn't like it when kids rambled. A simple honest answer would do fine. Sloane was only twelve, but she wished she was older, and she acted older sometimes.
"Yes, sir. I've wanted to for a long time. I am quite interested, sir," She answered simply, her eyes shining with eagerness and awe that she was talking to a doctor.
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Post by Dr. Walter House on Apr 4, 2009 0:21:53 GMT -5
"And why is that?" He held a cigarette between his lips as he asked, lighting it with a match. She didn't look much older than his niece when she had come to live with him. She was either out selling papers, cavorting with friends or at home. He tried not to worry. He was making things up to her now.
At such a young age even Lara didn't know what she wanted to do for a career, though she was a bright girl. He gave a smile, "Aren't you a little young to be thinking about that?"
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Post by sloanelewis on Apr 4, 2009 10:18:57 GMT -5
"And why is that?"
Sloane stared up at the doctor for a moment, watching as the cigarette smoke twirled in the air.
"Well, I guess its because I think nurses are brave. As you know, women today don't usually hold many job titles of importance. Some maybe the wives of some fine lieutenant or something like that, but they are still expected to sit back and be a picture that everybody else wants to see. Most women work hard, and don't gain much. My mother's a seamstress, she works hard on top of my daddy to keep a living for us. I've always seen nurses as important. A job that women can actually do that's important. They're saving lives everyday, or at least helping. I know its bloody, and I know its hard. But it seems worth it. I guess I just think its fanciful compared to working in a mill all day long..." Sloane finished, taking a small breath and smoothing her apron.
"Aren't you a little young to be thinking about that?"
Sloane chewed on her lip a moment, before nodding and giving the doctor a small smile. "Yes, maybe I am I guess. But I'm twelve years old. And my brother Freddy says I'm growing every day. He doesn't know what I'm thinking about, but he knows I'm dreaming for something bigger. That's why he calls me Dreamer sometimes."
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Post by Dr. Walter House on Apr 4, 2009 12:08:53 GMT -5
The doctor watched her rather critically for sometime, taking a long drag off his cigarette, and exhaling it slowly, "You seem rather serious about this. I've heard some girls talk about becoming a nurse just to marry rich doctors. But some really do care about helping people. And if it's credit you want, you'll hardly find it here..." He took another drag, then, "Do you go to school?"
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Post by sloanelewis on Apr 4, 2009 12:15:37 GMT -5
Sloane shifted a little under his stare, until she looked right into his face with her brown eyes, studying him curiously. She had never met a doctor before.
She listened to him speak and shook her head. "No, I don't want credit. I just want some independence. I don't mind not knowing what to expect. I'd be ready for it. If you know what's gonna happen all the time, there's too much anticipation, that things never match up to what you envisioned." She shrugged slightly and fingered her braid again sighing.
"Do you go to school?"
"Yes, I do. In the fall. I wish I could go longer, but I have to work at the mill the rest of the year. My parents can't afford it," She answered tentatively.
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Post by Dr. Walter House on Apr 5, 2009 1:25:24 GMT -5
House took a drag from his cigarette and tapped the ash free onto the ground, "Nurses don't tend to patients as much as you might think. The majority of their duties are cleaning. Cleaning and redressing wounds as well. But mostly keeping the rooms and equipment sterilized and in order."
He paused, "Well... you're still rather young and have some years to go before deciding on if you really want to take that course or not..."
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Post by sloanelewis on Apr 5, 2009 11:29:55 GMT -5
"Nurses don't tend to patients as much as you might think. The majority of their duties are cleaning. Cleaning and redressing wounds as well. But mostly keeping the rooms and equipment sterilized and in order."
"Oh that's fine Doctor. I clean the apartment all the time when Mama's busy. I keep everything in order. And keeping equipemt and such sterilized is very important as well," She said, keeping her optimism in her voice, she knew it was a far ways away, but she at least wanted to show this Doctor that she was no stupid little girl who was dreaming the impossible.
, "Well... you're still rather young and have some years to go before deciding on if you really want to take that course or not..."
She nodded, "Yes, I know...it is far off I guess..." She traced the lines in the palm of her hands as she trailed off. She realized she didn't introduce herself. Maybe the doctor didn't even care about what her name was. This doctor was somewhat emotionless in a thoughtful way, but that's how all doctors had to be.
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Post by Dr. Walter House on Apr 5, 2009 21:09:12 GMT -5
"But," He stubbed out his cigarette on the bench arm and stood up, "if you do well in school this year, I'll make a deal with you... There are a few things nurses have to study. Of course not all of it comes from books. But I'm sure there's a book or two I could find that would be, well, somewhat above your reading level, but important to have nonetheless."
Then, he offered a smile, and extended his hand, "My name is Dr. Walter House. What say you?"
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Post by sloanelewis on Apr 5, 2009 21:54:48 GMT -5
"But if you do well in school this year, I'll make a deal with you... There are a few things nurses have to study. Of course not all of it comes from books. But I'm sure there's a book or two I could find that would be, well, somewhat above your reading level, but important to have nonetheless."
"My name is Dr. Walter House. What say you?"
She put her petite hand in his and shook it, a wide smile on her face, her brown eyes sparkling. "Oh, that's more than I could ever imagine, Doctor. Thank you so much! I promise I'll do goo...well in school. My name's Sloane Lewis. It's a pleasure to meet you Dr. House."
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Post by Dr. Walter House on Apr 6, 2009 11:54:29 GMT -5
He chuckled lightly, thinking in all her gratefulness she might forget to tell him her name. He let go of her hand, "Nice to meet you as well, Miss Lewis. I hope to work with you in a few years..." He smiled to her.
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Post by sloanelewis on Apr 6, 2009 17:21:58 GMT -5
"Nice to meet you as well, Miss Lewis. I hope to work with you in a few years..."
Sloane grinned brightly, her smile bigger than ever before. She felt her eyes almost welling up with surprised and happy tears. She had been dreaming about this longer than she could remember. She couldn't help it. She wrapper her arms around the doctor in a quick hug. He gave her an even brighter hope now. She would escape the boring drafty mill someday.
"I'll have to grow even faster than," Sloane grinned, she was sure the grin would never fade. She just couldn't express her thanks in enough words.
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