Sweet Thursday

37 Little Chapter

Dr. Horace Dormody hated night calls, like everybody else, but Doc was his friend and he responded to the frenzied voice on the telephone. In the lab he looked at Doc’s white face and then at his right arm.

“It’s broken all right. I don’t know how badly. Think you could get to my car? I want to X-ray.”

And later he said, “Well, that’s that. It’s clean and it will take time. Now, tell me your cock-and-bull story again.”

“I was asleep,” said Doc. “Only thing I can think is that I must have turned over and it was caught between the cot and the wall.”

“You mean you weren’t in a fight?”

“I tell you I was asleep. What are you grinning about? What’s so funny?”

Dr. Horace said, “Have it your own way. It’s none of my business—unless the other fellow shows up. The tissue over the break is smashed. It looks as though it’s been hit with a club.”

“I can’t have it!” Doc cried. “I’ve got to go to La Jolla tomorrow for the spring tides!”

“And turn over rocks?”

“Sure.”

“Try and do it,” said Dr. Horace. “Is the cast getting hot?”

“Yes,” said Doc despondently.