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“She’s like one of those cats
who sits on your chest and sucks the air out of you. Go for it, I’m proud of
you.”
    As she sat in the front office reliving
this awful memory, Penny knew this was not the time to be thinking about it.
She already felt a compelling urge to bolt from the room. She pressed her hand
down on her left knee to stop her foot from shaking. Her foot went steady until
she took her hand away. The chair was creaking from the rapid little movements.
    She knew her family would never support
her in any attempt to create a better life. She had already learned this from
past experience, but now that she had taken a step toward changing her life,
her family’s reaction made her all the more certain that they would not be
supportive.
    Breaking into Penny’s dismal thoughts,
the receptionist called out cheerfully, “Dr Kittles will see you now.”
    The knots in her stomach clenched even
tighter. Briskly, she walked into the doctor’s office.
    She worried that her attempt at a smile
would turn into an anxious frown as she eyed Dr Kittles. He was a burly fellow
with a kind smile. He had a big head, a big beard, big eyebrows, and a thick
lion’s mane of salt and pepper hair. She pictured Neanderthal Man, but quelled
that thought as she shook his hand. His eyes held warmth, and intelligence. She
immediately felt at ease.
    “Hello Ms Marins,” Dr Kittles said
amiably as he took a seat behind his desk. “I understand you’re looking for a
position here as a nurse?”
    She tried again with the smile. She was
so nervous, she wanted to jump out of her chair and dash out of the office
never to be seen or heard from again. What the hell am I doing here? she
thought, as the panic welled up.
    Roaming over Penny’s resume, Dr Kittles
cleared his voice. “I understand you’re a registered nurse.”
    “Yes I am.”
    “You took a position at Fernfair
Elementary and have been there for quite a number of years.”
    “Yes I have.”
    “Now you would like to work at a
hospital?” He looked up from her resume with a penetrating stare.
    “Yes I do.”
    “It’s been a while since you ran an IV or
took blood pressure, checked vitals or gave an enema.” He smiled as he stated
the last procedure. “Shall I continue with all the other requirements?”
    She knew she had to speak now or forever
hold her peace. “I think my grades in nursing school will reflect on how well I
mastered those procedures, Dr Kittles. You don’t forget how to do them, it’s
just like riding a bike.” Without thinking, she blurted out, “You would never
forget how to perform surgery even if you hadn’t done it for a while, right?”
    He put his head back and laughed. “Well I
do think I would be a bit rusty, but eventually it would come back to me. And
in your case things have changed since you last did your clinical training.
Many of the procedures are done differently now. You would have to take
refresher classes and seminars on how to perform even the most basic of
clinical procedures.”
    Again without thinking, she blurted out,
“Of course I would do that, I really want this job. I’m a good nurse and I want
to help people. Maybe that sounds corny, but it’s true and I’m committed to
being as good as I was when I came out of nursing school.” She sat back in her
chair and added, “I’m aware that there’s a nurse shortage here. All you have to
do is give me a chance. You’ll know in one day if I’m up to muster or not. I’ll
attend all the lectures here and I would be able to specialize in any area you
want me to.”
    Dr Kittles laughed again. “You’re quite
ambitious aren’t you?” His expression changed and he didn’t say anything for a
long moment. Eventually he looked up and smiled. “I’m giving my recommendations
to the nursing department for you to work alongside Nurse Reins. If your
interview goes well with her then we will be able to see what you’re made of.”
    Penny wanted to jump up and down