Tuesday morning, Operating Room 9.
The red-grey tumor stubbornly clung to the sides of the pelvis. For three hours, the two surgeons worked to coax it out.
"I've got the view," said Brick. "Two Kelly clamps, scissors and a stick-tie."
The instruments danced in her fingers. In seconds, the tumor was out and Brick was throwing one-handed knots deep inside the wound.
"Careful with that one-handed technique, Brick," murmured Nina, the senior attending surgeon. "Those knots have to hold perfectly."
Brick fumed. She went back to the fuddy-duddy techniques she first learned as a student many years ago.
"Great job, Brick. You're becoming an outstanding surgeon. Great to have you on the team," said Nina, stripping off her surgical gown and gloves. "I'll go talk to the family. You all get her closed."
After Nina left, Brick started parroting Nina to Sara and Rachel, the scrub nurse and the circulator. "Two-handed ties, Brick. Push the knot down, Brick. Pull the tissue this way, Brick." Shit, she was already a better surgeon than Nina, but the jealous fool wouldn't admit it.
Sara and Rachel glanced at each other and rolled their eyes. They had been through this enough times before with Brick to just let it go until later.
Tuesday Evening, Cleary's Pub
Every hospital has its local watering hole where the staff unwind at the end of a long day. Cleary's was so much a part of the medical scene that the proprietor hung a phone on the wall with a copy of the hospital paging directory for the exclusive use of the medical staff. Dark wood, brass furnishings, leather chairs and banquettes, it was the polar opposite of a yuppie wine bar. Part of the ritual when a new doctor or nurse came on staff included a welcome drink at Cleary's, if for no other reason to make them understand that Cleary's had its own rules.
Predictably, the new arrival would ask for a glass of wine. The bartender would immediately glower at the newbie, raise his (or her) eyebrows and shout, "We don't do sissy drinks here! Ya got three choices-a draft, scotch or bourbon! What'll it be?"
Sara, Rachel and Brick had settled back into a banquette, draft beers in hand, to watch the show. Sure enough, the chief of staff brought his administrative team and a new face over to the bar. The new guy seemed to have everybody's attention. He looked around, catching Brick's eyes briefly, and asked the bartender for a vodka martini
The bartender, a muscular woman who probably had equal the guy's testosterone, pulled herself up to her full height, leaned over the bar and started to bellow.
"Sissy-man, this is no sissy-bar! You wanna sissy drink, you go to the sissy place down the street! Beer, bourbon or scotch, sissy man?"
New guy didn't miss a beat. "Scotch with a splash. And you know, you're beautiful when you're mad."
The bartender turned beet red as the rest of the bar erupted in laughter.
Brick turned to Sara and Rachel and remarked, "Great. We have a smart ass in our midst."
Sara responded, "Brick, the guy used a little humor on the amazon behind the bar. You might take a page from his book. Word on the street is that he's a terrific surgeon and everyone at his old place loved to work with him."
Rachel continued, "Yeah, I got a call from the nurses at Midwest Medical Center and they all say do anything you can to work with this guy." She paused. "I've asked to be assigned to his room."
Brick went ballistic. "You can't do that." She looked over at Sara. "You're not trying to leave me too?"
Sara bit her lip. "Well, I did ask for a tryout."
If looks could kill, Brick committed a double-homicide. She threw a twenty onto the table. Sara and Rachel hurried out. Brick strode over to give the new guy a piece of her mind.
"Hello, I'm Brick." She squared her shoulders. "I hear you're trying to steal my nurses."
He turned to face her.
"Oh hello! You must be the Dragon Lady. My name's George. Pleasure to meet you."
Living up to her name, Brick turned dark red. Determined not to lose her cool at hearing the sobriquet, she calmly replied, "You know, I breathe fire before breakfast."
George looked at her, a ghost of a smile on his lips. "Then you must melt a lot of toothbrushes...."
Thursday Morning
As it happens when a new surgeon comes to a hospital, a crowd had gathered to watch his first case. George did a straightforward hernia repair. More correctly, George held retractors while he talked two resident surgeons through the procedure. The two residents had a reputation for not being the "sharpest knives in the box", but under George's quiet, steady direction they looked like a couple of pros.
After his own case, George wandered into Brick's operating room where another difficult cancer case was underway. He watched quietly as the surgeons struggled to remove the cancer. Rachel, the circulating nurse, came over and whispered something in George's ear.
Brick glanced up. Peering over her surgical mask, she said, "Good morning doctor, come to see how the ladies operate?" Brick barked out orders for a couple of instruments, which Sara snapped into her waiting hands.
George chuckled, infuriating Brick. "You ladies seem to have matters well in hand. I'll just retreat to my man-cave."
An hour later, Brick wandered into the surgeons' lounge. Half a dozen residents were gathered around George, each wanting to scrub with him on a case--news of his teaching prowess had travelled fast.
Brick poured a cup of coffee and walked over to him. "I don't get it," she said. "You're here for 48 hours and the residents are throwing themselves at you."
George smiled at Brick as the residents scurried away from the Dragon Lady
"The surgery is the easy part. Figuring out what people want and meeting their needs, that's the challenge." George went on. "I see you're a terrific surgeon....".
Brick started to turn red. "The only need in my operating room is to get the case done."
George chuckled again. "Brick, you don't even acknowledge your own needs. How can you acknowledge others'?"
Brick flushed deep crimson. "Oh, and you know my needs, Doctor?"
That damn chuckle again. Then, George's voice turned steely.
"Brick, go wash your hands."
Brick looked at him. "What did you just say?"
George replied, "I'll say it once more. And only once. Go wash your hands."
Brick replied, "And if I refuse?"
George's voice mellowed. "You won't. You can't. Inside the Dragon Lady lurks a woman who desperately wants to be controlled."
Brick replied, "You are such a bullshitter." She walked out of the lounge.
She made it about 25 yards before giving in to the uncontrollable need to wash her hands.
Friday Morning
Brick's first case was a no show. In George's room, the residents were busy with an intestinal resection while George once again simply held the retractors and talked the trainees through the operation. Brick, who was not easily impressed, had to admit that George seemed two steps ahead of the residents and was able to anticipate and prevent errors. He also anticipated her question. "It's just a matter of knowing what they need, and giving it to them." He shrugged his shoulders and turned back to the case.
