House Calls
Part 1
The next morning Nancy awakens to someone shouting in the hallway she groans and puts her pillow over her ears.
In the hallway:
"Tommy you were not before me now I only left a line for a second!!" Mary yells at him.
"You know the rules." Tommy states."One you step out of the line, you lose your turn."
"Yeah well that's a stupid rule and I'm next not you."
"Stupid or not, you made that rule up."
"So I can break it."
Nancy comes out of her and Elizabeth's room. "Would you be quiet you
woke me up."
Tom comes out of the room. "Will someone tell me what the ruckus is?"
Tommy and Mary both start talking at once.
Tom rolls his eyes. "Mary do you remember when David was living at home and
he left the line. what did you say?"
Mary grumbles
Tommy smiles.
"I wouldn't be smiling if I was you Tommy, if I remember correctly David
went and turned off the hot water while Mary was in the shower."
Mary smirks. Nicholas comes out of the bathroom and Nancy sneaks in
when everyone is focused on Mary and Tommy.
"Hey!!" Tommy yells.
"The injured get first dibs!!" Nancy says from inside the bathroom.
"Dad....." Tommy protests.
Tom just shrugs. "Keep it down, will you. Its Sunday, I'm going back to bed.
Mary snickers
"Snicker all you want Mary, but Nancy beat us to the bathroom."
"I know but she won't be in there long. She's probably in too much pain to
shower." They hear the shower come on.
"Yeah, famous last words." he sighs
Tom goes back into his room and crawls back in bed.
"What was all that noise about?"
"The usual, bathroom lines."
"You'd think they have it down to a science already."
"I know."
"Let them fight it out. I'm going back to sleep."
Some time later Nancy comes out. "It's all yours Tommy."
After remembering what his dad said about David. "Go on MARY."
"No that's ok Tommy you go." While they're both trying to be polite
to each other and avoid being short of hot water, Joannie sneaks into the
bathroom.
Nancy chuckles but then goes. "Oww." When one of her ribs decides to yell
at her.
"You OK?" Tommy asks
"No, going back to bed now." She retreats to her room.
"Should we mention something to Dad and Abby?" Tommy asks Mary
"Yes." Mary says.
Tommy sighs. "I'll never get in the bathroom." He states and walks towards
his parents room. He knocks on their door.
Tom groans.
"Go back to bed!" Abby tells whoever is disturbing her attempts to go back
to sleep.
"It's about Nancy."
Abby sits up. "Come in, then."
Tom sits up too as Tommy goes in and explains what happened.
"I'll call Dr. Max " Tom states.
"Uh, do you mind if I use your bathroom?" Tommy asks.
"So much for altruism," Abby mutters. "Go ahead," she tells Tommy, "just
don't tell everyone else."
"Thanks."Tommy says.
"Max will be right over." Tom says after he hangs up.
"Maybe..." Abby begins, then stops.
"Maybe what?" Tom asks.
Abby nods in the direction of the bathroom as explanation of why she doesn't
want to finish her sentence just yet.
Just then the shower turns on. "He can't hear us now."
"I was just going to suggest that while Max is here he check up on all the
invalids. But my appointment with Hilda's tomorrow, so I can wait."
"Why wait?"
"Well, we'll see if Max has time."
"I am sure he will."
"Then OK--but only after he checks on the three kids."
"I better get dressed. Tommy are you just about done in there?" he yells
through the door.
Tommy comes out in his robe. "Thanks you guys."
"Don't mention it--and I mean that literally," Abby says.
"I won't."
Abby sees him out of the room. "I hope we didn't just start a dangerous precedent."
"He knows its a once in a lifetime thing."
"He knows its a once in a lifetime thing."
Tom nods and heads for the bathroom.
After Joannie is done, Mary takes her turn at the bathroom.
Soon the doorbell rings.
Joannie answers the door. "Hey, Dr. Max. Let me guess--Daisy wants to go
on vacation so you're making a Bradford house call?"
"Funny." he says. "I don't know why I just don't have my own key."
"The amount we see of you, you ought to have your own room."
"True." he says."I know my way." he states and goes on up.He knocks on Nancy's
room.
"What?" She asks in a strained tone.
Max walks in. "Hey you two, hows my favorite patients doing?"
"I think I did too much." Nancy confesses. "Please don't tell Dad and
Abby." She says assuming they don't know.
"Too late for that, they are the ones that called me." He says. "Lets take
a look."
"Yeah right, which sibling are you covering for? Dad or Abby would
have come to check on me for themselves if they knew." She says and lets
him examine her.
"I don't know what you are talking about, but honest your Dad called me."
he says as he looks her over. "You are right about one thing, you did overdo
it."
"But I really needed a shower."
Max just shakes his head. "Take it easy, ok?"
"I've been taking it easy for over a week."
"Nancy, you are not going to get over this overnight. Listen to your body."
She sighs, "ok I'll behave myself."
"Thank you." he says.
"No problem." She falls asleep.
"You're next, young lady," Max says to Elizabeth. "How are you? Any dizziness?
Blurriness?"
"Will it ever go away Dr. Max?"
"Yes, it will, but it takes time. Has it been getting any better at all?"
"In the mornings its better but it gets worse towards night."
"Actually, that's a good sign. You're working your eyes hard, and like any
other part of your body, they get fatigued the more you use them. But they
also get stronger."
"So what do I do in the meantime."
"Same advice I gave your sister--you're just going to have to rest, listen
to your body, and let nature take its course."
"Am I going to need glasses?"
"It's too early to tell. I certainly wouldn't recommend them until we see
how well you heal without them."
Liz nods.
"Anything else hurt?"
"My headaches are still there, but I am ok."
"If they get any worse, I want you to call me right away. No heroics like
your sister's, OK?"
She laughs. "OK, thanks Dr. Max."
"I wish all my patients were as cooperative as you." He stands. "Next case,
Nicholas."
"Have fun."
"Doctors always do." Max heads off and knocks on the boys' door.
"Come in." Nicholas says
"Hiya, champ," Dr. Max says. "How are you feeling?"
"Better, can I go outside?"
"Let me give you a once-over and then we'll see." Max pulls out a tongue
depressor and tells Nicholas to say ahh.
He complies.
Max checks him over. "You're coming along fine. As long as you promise not
to overdo it, I think you can go outside for a little while."
"Yippee." he says as he jumps out of bed and gets dressed.
"Slowly, cowboy," Max smiles at him and heads off for his last patient.
Max knocks on their door.
"Come in," Abby says.
Max walks in. "Hi."
"Hi. How are the kids?"
"Nancy's impatient, but i think i talked her into taking things easy, Elizabeth
is healing as scheduled but shes still having headaches. So keep an eye out
and Nicholas is on his way outside but you might have to dragged him kicking
and screaming to come back in after an hout or so." he jokes. "What
about you? How are you feeling?"
"Fine," Abby begins automatically. "Not up to dragging Nicholas anywhere
is the truth."
"Lets take a look, OK?"
"You're the doctor."
"Uh huh." he says as he examines her.
"Well?"
"I can't find anything out of the ordinary but lets draw some blood, ok?"
"I hate blood test, but if you really think it's necessary..."
"It's really amazing how much the blood can tell you." he says as he gets
out his vials and syringe.
Abby braces herself for one of Max's "the wonders of modern medicine" lectures.
"But I won't bore you."
"You'd never do that, Max. Ow! You might bleed me dry, though."
"Sorry," he says. He puts the bandage on. "I'll put a rush on this."
"I appreciate it. Way things are around here, I can't afford to feel like
I do much longer."
"I don't know if you'll listen to me but Take it easy ok?"
"I've been trying to. But life in this family isn't exactly conducive to
'easy'."
"Touche "
"But I will try, believe me. I've been trying."
"I know, maybe I should have a man to man talk with Tom."
"As much as I hate to give in--if you think it would help..."
"Consider it done."
"Thanks."
Tom is waiting in his study pacing.
"How about buying your doctor a drink?" Max says when he walks into Tom's
study.
"Sure." Tom says pouring Max a drink but not one for himself.
"You're not going to join me?"
"No, I've been hitting the bottle pretty hard. I am cutting back."
Max closes the study doors. "You? I thought you were long past doing that.
Want to talk about it?"
"What's to say? You know whats been going on...Nancy, Elizabeth, Tommy
trying to run away, Nicholas feeling neglected. But mostly Abby not feeling
well and trying to say everything fine and losing our baby." Tom says. "I
had to get some relief somewhere."
"Tom..." Max hesitates a moment. "Did you ever consider that the reason Abby
is pretending everything is fine is that if you don't lean on her, she can't
lean on you?"
"No, i guess I haven't." he concedes. "Speaking of whom, how is Nancy, Elizabeth,
Nicholas and Abby?"
"Your daughters are both restless, but I think I've convinced them that they
need to rest anyway. Nicholas is outside playing--he's one hardy little kid.
And Abby--well, I'll know after I get her bloodwork back."
"Blood work?" he asks not really asking. "What's wrong?"
"I'm not absolute sure," Max hedges.
"Max...." Tom pushes.
"I don't like her coloring. It may just be on my mind because it's my favorite
organ, but I want to check her liver function."
"Oh no." Tom frets
"Tom, she needs you. Women like Daisy and Joan, well, they were used to us
strong silent types. But these young people--you've got to tell her what
you're going through, because I think she needs to tell you what she's going
through, too."
Tom nods in agreement."Anything else?"
"Make sure she rests. Oh--and take her to Hilda Krause tomorrow. I'll be
calling in to tell her what tests I've done, but who knows? She might think
of something I didn't."
"I will, thanks Max."
Max takes a sip of his drink. "You know, with this stuff in your liquor cabinet,
I can understand why you're abstaining," he grimaces.
Tom laughs."I'll buy you a real one the next time we play golf and I'll even
join you."
"It's a deal." Max looks at his watch. "I'd better run down to the hospital
and get these blood samples in."
"Ok, I better make my own rounds upstairs."
"It wouldn't be a bad idea. But you might want to wait until I've gotten
this blood work back before you start playing doctor."
"Max...." Tom turns red "Thats not what I meant."
Max smiles. "Go upstairs, Tom. I'll see myself out."
Tom complies and first stops in Nancy and Elizabeths room.
"Hi you two."
"Hi."
"I understand you two are restless."
Elizabeth nods,
"Nancy?"
"Very."
"Well Nicholas isn't in need of the TV now, so do you two want it?"
"Yes."
"OK...." he starts to say.
"What."
"I can't believe I am saying this...but would you like Noah to come up and
see you?"
Elizabeth is shocked.
"Dad you're reading my mind again."
"OK, but the rules are,the door stays open and you both lay on top
of the
covers."
"Uh..yoo hoo." Elizabeth raises her hand. "What about me?"
"We can set something up for you downstairs while Noah's here." Tom offers.
"Well.....ok, for Nancy I'll do it."
"Thanks Elizabeth, thanks Dad."
Tom kisses both his daughters. "Do me a small favor though please?"
"What?"
"Dr Max says Abby is really tired so if you two need anything, ask me or
one of your other siblings.OK?"
"Dad is she going to be OK?" Elizabeth asks.
"Oh sure she is." Tom tries to reassure them both. "Nothing but a few hours
of un-interrupted sleep won't cure."
"Why don't you and Abby stop lying to us about her well being?" Nancy says
finally having had enough.
Tom is taken aback. "We don't know yet, Max drew blood and I am taking her
to see Hilda tomorrow."
"Why?"
"Honey, I am telling you all I know."
"Honestly."
"Honestly." Tom says.
"Don't worry Dad, we'll behave." Elizabeth says.
"Yeah we'll behave."
"Thanks. I'll have Tommy roll in the TV." he says as he leaves.
He walks in his room quietly making sure hes not disturbing Abby.
Abby puts down the pages Tom gave her the night before. "Hi."
"Hi, I thought you'd be sleeping."
"No. Max fill you in on how the kids are doing?"
Tom nods and sits next to her. "He also told me about you."
"Not much to tell."
Tom remembers Maxs conversation. "Yeah, well I haven't exactly been honest
with you either." He tells her about the drinking and the reasons thereof.
"Why didn't you tell me? I would have understood."
"I know but I was trying to protect you but I see now,that was the wrong
thing to do."
"I thought you were handling things so well, so how could I do any less?"
"Not well at all....."he begins to say.. "You mean you.....I thought you
were the one doing so well."
"How could I be? It was our baby. And then three of the kids are sick, and
Tommy... and worrying about you. The way I feel is the least of it."
"But you kept telling me, the best thing to do was keep busy and forget."
He
says. "What were we thinking?" he says as he takes her hands.
"And I still think it is. I got the busy part down pat, but I never seemed
to master the forget part."
"Maybe we arent suppose to."
"We've got to."
"No we don't, because it was a part of both of us and I intend to honor and
remember that."
"We can't go on like this--you drinking, me being sick."
"We won't, I haven't had a drink in a few days and we will find out whats
going on with you tomorrow."
"So what--just that that," she snaps her fingers, "we're ok, we're dealing
with it? Because you know we're not."
"Abby, I need you." he admits."If I can't lean on you or if you can't lean
on me, then what do we have?"
"I don't know what strength I have, but what there is is yours."
"And what I have is yours." he vows. "Look I'll admit I don't know what tomorrow
may bring but whatever it is we have to do it together."
"The only way to go."
He hugs her tight.
Abby snuggles into him.
After Tom leaves their room, Nancy asks Elizabeth "Do you think I was too
rough on him?"
"I don't know, you were just saying what we all felt."
"You know mom used to cover it up when she didn't feel well too, is it a
mom thing?"
"I think so."
"Yeah well I'll never do that when I become a mom." Nancy says although she
will she just doesn't know it yet.
"Me neither." she says. "I think its kind of foolish."
Nancy nods in agreement.
Mary walks in and shakes her head at both of them. "Well that's the pot calling
the kettle black." She says to her younger sisters.
"What?"
"Elizabeth how long did it take you to let everyone know that you were sick,
and Nancy how many countless times have you said everything is fine when
it really wasn't?"
"Well uh." Nancy replies.
"She has a point." Liz says.
"What that we're a bad influence on Abby?"
"No, but we do keep things to ourselves."
"Sometimes it's better that way."
"Thats probably what Abby thinks."
"Probably." Nancy agrees.
"That doesn't make it all right." Mary says.
"I agree, but theres nothing we can do about it."
"Short on telling on her to her mom."
Elizabeth laughs."I'll say the eulogy at your funeral."
Nancy laughs. "I wouldn't really do that."
"What about you Mary?"
"I think we should leave it alone. Abby is a grown woman and it's her
choice if she wants to tell us everything or not, it's not our choice."
"I agree." Liz responds.
Nancy doesn't say anything.
Mary gets frustrated. "Come on Nancy would you stop behaving like such a
jerk. They both came through about Noah didn't they?"
"Yes, but what are we supposed to pretend like nothing is going on?"
"For now yes." Liz states.
"ok."
In the master bedroom, Tom looks at his watch. "I guess I better get Nicholas
to come back inside."
"I guess so. But he's going to hate that."
"I know but we can't take the chance of him having a relapse."
"You're right. Go get him; I'm going to just lie down for a while."
"Ok, I'll be back soon."
"I'll be waiting for you."
He smiles and goes off to find his youngest.
He finds him out back.
"Nicholas, its time to come back inside."
"But Dad...."
"No buts Son, you heard what Dr. Max said."
"But I feel fine." he argues.
"And we intend to keep you that way." Tom says firmly. "Now young man."
Nicholas pouts on his way inside,
'Why don't you go watch TV for awhile." Tom says calmly.
Nicholas doesn't say anything and goes off to the den.
Tom sighs and returns to his room.
"He didn't want to come in," Abby says.
"That's an understatement."
"Poor Tom."
Tom chuckles.
"Come here."
He gladly complies."It seems they are becoming more defiant at a younger
age.”
"They learn from the older ones."
"Then we are in trouble."
"But it's the last time around."
"Are you sure about that?"
"I don't get over things easily. By the time I'm ready to try again, it'll
be too late."
"Oh......" he says nearly disappointed.
"I thought you didn't want any more kids. The noise, the expense..."
"I may gripe about those things, but it doesn't mean I wouldn't want to have
a child with the woman I love."
"Well, we can think about it, I guess. After things settle down--no--that'll
never happen. After we know what Max finds. Do you even know what he's looking
for? He didn't tell me."
"No more secrets right?" he says, "He doesn;t like your coloring, hes checking
your liver functioning."
"Liver? But I had a miscarriage--how could that have affected my liver?"
Tom shrugs
Abby starts laughing. "Talk about ironic."
"Ironic?"
"You're the one who was drinking and I'm the one who might have liver problems."
"Oh gee." he replies shaking his head.
"But you know what? It feels like the whole house is crashing down around
us and we're still laughing. We must be doing something right."
"We are, we are hanging onto each other and together."
"I can't think of anyone I'd rather hang on to."
"I feel the same way."
Abby snuggles closer.
Theirs a knock on the door.
Tom sighs. "We are busy."
"Dad, its important." Tommy responds.
"It always is," Abby whispers to Tom. "Come in," she sighs.
"Have you seen Nicholas?" Tommy says as he walks in.
"He's downstairs watching TV......isn't he?" Tom asks
"No, and we can't find him anywhere."
"Wonderful." Tom nearly growls.
"Did you check his playhouse?" Abby asks.
"My first spot." he says, "He's not there."
"Kenny P. Landers?"
"I wish he was at Kenny P." Tom says worriedly. "But he moved away remember?
"Tommy, call David. Lets get a search party going." Tom tells him.
"OK." Tommy goes makes that call.
Abby gets out of bed and starts getting her clothing together.
"What are you doing?" Tom asks. "You just stay here, I can handle this."
"I can go with you. I might be able to help."
"It's not like I don't want you with me, but you need to rest."
"I'll be careful and not overdo it. Let's not waste time arguing--we need
to find him before he gets sicker."
Tom concedes. "What has gotten in his head?" he says as he gets ready.
"I hope it's nothing worse than cabin fever."
"Well he better get used to cabin fever once I get my hands on him."
"Tom... First let's find him, OK?"
He nods
Tommy dials David
David glances at Nicholas. "I bet you ten to one it's someone in the
family." He tells the latest Bradford runaway that showed up at his
apartment.
"Don't tell them where I am at."
David smiles and answers the phone, "hello."
"David, its Tommy, Nicholas is missing. We are getting together a search
party."
"Oh hi Burt, how have you been man? I got the tool you need right here."
Tommy is perplexed. "Huh...what are you talking ab....Nicholas is there right?
and you can't talk?"
"Exactly."
"That's a relief" Tommy responds."So are you going to bring him home or do
you want Dad and Abby to come fetch him?"
"Hey can I talk to Eddie too." David says.
"Sure, I'll go get Dad."
Tommy gets Tom. Tom takes the call from his room. "David, is he all right?"
"The tool is just fine Eddie, and I was wondering if I can keep it another
day."
"Well considering my anger right now,it might not be a bad idea, Just make
sure he stays inside and keeps warm."
"Will do, take care Eddie."
"Thanks David." Tom says relieved.
"No problem."
"He's at David's?" Abby asks when Tom hangs up.
"Yeah, David is going to keep him overnight."
"Is it just cabin fever or something more?" Abby wonders.
He shrugs. "What more could it be?"
"Could he be feeling neglected?"
Tom ponders over the past week. "Well considering neither one of us was here
while he was ill, maybe. But there was nothing that could have been
done about it."
"I know that, but he may be too young to."
"So what do you suggest?"
"Let him stay at David's today, I guess, but tomorrow when we pick him up
maybe we should spend some time with just him."
"After you see Hilda." Tom reminds her.
"But I've already seen Max."
"Look you can't cancel."
"Not cancel, but shouldn't I wait until we hear what Max found out?"
"No, we cant. Max said it was going to call Hilda with the results."
"OK. I'll go to Hilda's, but I guess we should pick Nicholas up from David's
before that--he can't stay there alone when David goes to work in the morning."
"Good idea and Thank you."
"If you can get one of the kids to watch him while I go to Hilda, I'll take
the day off and stay with him the rest of the time," Abby offers.
"Mary?"
"If she doesn't have class or a lab."
"Lets ask."
"I'm up already; I'll go talk to her."
"OK, I am going to take A nap."
Abby gives him a kiss. "Sleep well," and heads over to Mary's room.
Mary hides something under her mattress when she hears the knock. "Come in!!"
"Hi," Abby says, wondering what has Mary so flustered.
"Hi Abby how are you doing?"
"It's probably nothing at all," Abby says, assuming someone's already told
Mary about Max's visit.
"That's good." She says.
"What's on your schedule for tomorrow?"
"Nothing, why?"
"I need someone to watch Nicholas while I go to my doctor. I won't be long--an
hour at most."
"Sure I'll watch him."
"Thanks. Mary, is everything OK?"
"Uh huh, everything is fine."
"It's good to hear that from *someone* in this family."
"I know."
Abby sits on Mary's bed. "Really?"
"Yeah." ~I hope the mattress is big enough that she doesn't notice.~
"I didn't think anyone noticed."
"Noticed what?"
"That---" Abby shifts around a little and then pulls out what Mary's hidden.
"Speaking of noticing, what's this?"
"Just something to keep me awake when I study long hours." She says hoping
Abby doesn't figure out it's Amphetamines.
"Pills? Where'd you get them?"
"From a drug store." Not mentioning it was mail order.
Abby looks at the pills a little longer. "Doesn't look like No-Doze."
"Can I have those back please."
"Can I have some? After the time I've taken off with everything that's been
going on, I'm going to have to pull a few all-nighters. Or all-weekers."
"I don't think that would be a good idea."
"If they're helping you..."
"Abby they're not for everyone."
"Just for you?"
She nods
"Mary, what are these really?"
She sighs, "amphetamines."
"Mary..." Abby chides.
"Abby I know what I'm doing, I'm not going to use them forever and only in
moderation."
"Mary, if you're using them at all, you don't know what you're doing."
"What else am I supposed to do, Vivarin doesn't work for me, and coffee only
works when I want to go to sleep."
"And what will you do when these stop working? They will, you know."
"Hopefully when they stop working I won't need them anymore."
"I want you to talk to Dr. Max--or to Hilda Krause. They know all about drugs
like this, and they both got through med school. They might have some advice."
"Abby..."
"You don't think you should talk to someone? Who knows--they may say that
taking something for a limited amount of time is OK. When I went to him,
Max gave me something."
"Or they may say no and then I won't have anything to help."
"I can say no without even consulting them," Abby says, dropping Mary's pills
into her pocket.
"I'm in my twenties you can not do that to me." Mary protests.
"Yes, Mary, I can, and I will."
"Fine," Mary leaves the room.
Abby hurries back to her own room.
Tom is not quite asleep and sees the look on Abby's face. "Uh oh...who and
what?"
Abby tosses him the pill bottle. "Mary."
Tom looks at the bottle and goes pale. "She's taking these?"
"Was," Abby emphasizes the past tense, "unless she's got more stashed somewhere.
We just went nine rounds over it."
"Was, is the exact term." He says concerned. "But where did she get these?
I know Max would never prescribe stuff like this."
"She's in medical school. I'm sure she has plenty of access to all sorts
of doctors, or even sources that aren't so up-and-up."
"Terrific." he sighs. "I hate calling Max again, but maybe he can talk sense
to her."
"I suggested that to her, or her going to Hilda with me--she turned me down
flat."
"That's not like her. I have a feeling something else is going on. Where
is she now?"
"I don't know. She stormed out of her room and I came right here."
"I'll see if I can find her. Maybe it'll be better if we take Nicholas with
us tomorrow. If shes in this frame of mind, I dont want her to be watching
Nicholas."
"I was thinking that," Abby says, silently noting that Tom plans to go with
her to Hilda's.
"Try and not to worry. Superdad is on the case." he jokes as he puts his
shoes back on.
"I think I'll go check everyone else and see if there are any other crises
brewing."
Tom nods and gives Abby a kiss "See you back here in our sanctuary later?"
"Depending on how many fires we have to put out."
Tom sighs. "Yeah." and goes in search of his eldest daughter.
She's seething on the sunporch.
Tom sees her and sits next to her. "What's wrong honey?"
"My privacy was violated today."
"Privacy? I thought the word might be hiding."
"Dad I know what I'm doing."
"If you were know what you were doing, you wouldn't have tried to hide these
in-between your mattress."
"Which people have no right to go through."
"Mary, Abby didn't go into your room on a expedition hunt. She sat on your
bed and felt the bottle." He says waving the bottle.
"They're not illegal."
"That doesn't make it any less dangerous."
"It's not dangerous in moderation."
"Mary, thats not the point. Did you even talk to Dr. Max about this?"
"Why should I?"
"Because he's a doctor and has been to Med School. If anyone knows
what you are going through, he does."
"And what happens if he says no?"
"Mary if you are going to be a doctor, don't you think you better start listening
to what other doctors try and tell you?"
"Fine then call him."
"Thank You." he says. "You relieved this old man."
She pouts.
"Mary what else is wrong?"
"Do you or Abby have any idea how rough it is to make it in my field?"
"No, I guess we don't. But not knowing doesn't mean we are unsympathetic
to your plight."
"Then why did you take my pills away?"
"Because *these* are not the answer, Now are you going to call Dr. Max or
am I?"
"You can if you want."
"Ok, I will."
Part 2