cold rooms
CHAPTER X “GETTING DAMN SERIOUS” THE CUBS HAVE FALLEN OUT OF THE NL RACE; AND THE SOX ARE BARELY HANGING ON BY A THREAD. SAM AND MELANIE, OLD FLAMES, BEGIN SEEING ONE ANOTHER ON A REGULAR BASIS. MELANIE WANTS A RING; HOWEVER SAM WANTS TO GIVE THIS SOME TIME. SAM MAXWELL CONTINUES HIS WORK AS AN ANESTHESIOLOGIST AT LAKE FOREST HOSPITAL AND WORKS AS STAFF PART TIME DOING COOK COUNTY TRAUMA ON WEEKENDS - HIS “DOCTORS WITHOUT BORDERS” SHIFT. MELANIE, AS FULL TIME TRAUMA SURGICAL SCRUB AND CIRCULATING NURSE AT COOK COUNTY, HAS EXTENSIVE DISCUSSIONS WITH DR. HANSON AND GLENDA - OLDER TRAUMA STAFF REGARDING SAM DURING A LONG INVOLVED TRAUMA CASE INVOLVING MULTIPLE SURGICAL SPECIALTIES. MELANIE DECIDES TO TAKE THE RED LINE L TRAIN TO WEAGHMAN’S PARK, THE WISCONSIN BASED 20 SOMETHING HANGOUT AT THE CORNER OF CLARK AND ADDISON. SURPRISINGLY SHE WALKS IN AND VIEWS SAM AND KERI AT A BACK TABLE. FRUSTRATED SHE CONFRONTS SAM AS WEAGHMAN HIMSELF GIVES HER A FRESH LEINE’S AND A ZUERCHER CHEESE SANDWICH ON THE HOUSE. GLENDA MY GOD, HOW LONG WILL IT TAKE THESE ORTHO RESIDENTS TO ROD THIS FEMUR? TOO MANY CALCULATIONS. DR. HANSON NOW GLENDA THEY HAVE TO LEARN. THAT IS WHAT COOK COUNTY AND RUSH MEDICAL SCHOOL IS ALL ABOUT. GLENDA I HOPE SO. BUT THESE TRAUMA FELLOWS ARE SUPPOSED TO BE RESIDENCY TRAINED ALREADY THAT MEANS VOLITIONAL MOVEMENT.
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DR. HANSON I USED TO FEEL THE SAME WAY - BUT NOW I’M MORE OPEN TO THESE TRAUMA FELLOWS ACTUALLY TAKING THEIR TIME AND LEARNING FROM EACH CASE - UNDERSTANDING THAT EVERY MOVE THEY MAKE MAY BE LIFE THREATENING. GLENDA I FULLY REALIZE ESPECIALLY IF COAGULATION ISN’T ESTABLISHED BEFORE WE LEAVE WE’LL BE BACK - IF WE CAN EVEN GET BACK INTO SURGERY FROM THE TRAUMA ICU. DR. HANSON WELL AS 94 OPENS UP TOWARDS MILWAUKEE, WE’LL START SEEING MORE AUTO TRAUMA. THIS GUY IS FROM THE STEVENSON AND WAS HEADING HOME LATE AFTER HITTING EVERY PIT STOP AROUND MICHIGAN AVENUE LAST NIGHT. I EVEN SEE UNDIGESTED GINO’S PIZZA COMING FROM HIS TORN DUODENUM. GLENDA THAT REALLY SUCKS. WASTED GINO’S PIZZA. MELANIE MAYBE I SHOULD HAVE CIRCULATED THIS CASE. LOOKING AT THAT PIZZA COMING OUT MAKES ME NAUSEOUS. I HAD SO MUCH OF THAT WHILE IN NURSING SCHOOL AT COOK. WHEN YOU DON’T HAVE A GUY, YOU EAT. DR. HANSON BUT NOW YOU DO HAVE A GUY. SO YOU NO LONGER EAT GINO’S, STAY THIN, AND PLAN............ GLENDA I DIDN’T KNOW THERE WAS SOMETHING BEING PLANNED. MELANIE.....ARE YOU AND SAM THINKING OF........... MELANIE THERE HAS BEEN DISCUSSION. IT IS ALWAYS TRYING TO GET A GUY TO COMMIT.
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GLENDA THAT IS USUALLY THE PROBLEM. ALL THEY NEED TO DO IS SAY: WILL YOU? AND THE REST IS TAKEN CARE OF THESE DAYS. DR. HANSON YES GUYS DON’T DO SQUAT WHEN IT COMES TO WEDDINGS. SO HAVE YOU PICKED A DATE? MELANIE THERE HAS BEEN NO FORMAL PROPOSAL. GLENDA YES DR. HANSON - THAT IS PENDING. NO DIFFERENT THAN YOU STOPPING THIS LIVER FROM BLEEDING. MY GOD HOW FAST WAS THIS GUY GOING? DR. HANSON AT LEAST 100. NO ONE TRAVELS THAT FAST WHEN THEY ARE SANE. WHAT WAS HIS BLOOD ALCOHOL? MELANIE THE MEDICAL RESIDENT SAID IT WAS .35. DR. HANSON SO 3 AND A HALF TIMES THE NORMAL DRUNK LIMIT. WHEW. WHY CANNOT PEOPLE JUST TAKE TAXIS OR THE L TRAIN? I DO NOT AND WILL NEVER UNDERSTAND THIS. GLENDA BECAUSE HE LIVES NEAR SOX PARK. AND MOST PEOPLE DOWN THERE DO NOT HAVE ENOUGH MONEY TO EVEN BUY A GLASS OF BEER, LET ALONE THE GAS TO GET BACK HOME. DR. HANSON GOD BLESS ‘EM ALL. THAT IS WHY WE ARE HERE. HUMANS MAKING DUMB NEAR FATAL MISTAKES SO WE CAN SAVE THEM AND THEY CAN ALL MOVE ON TO A BETTER LIFE. GLENDA SAD THAT A TRAUMA TEAM HAS TO BE THEIR MOM. 4
DR. HANSON A TON OF THESE TRAUMA CLIENTELE DIDN’T HAVE GOOD MOMS OR DADS. BUT IT DOESN’T GIVE THEM AN EXCUSE TO BREAK THE LAW AND NEARLY KILL THEMSELVES AND INNOCENT OTHERS. I THINK I’VE SEEN MORE WRECKS FROM THE STEVENSON THAN ANYWHERE ELSE IN ILLINOIS. WE MIGHT AS WELL STATION A HELICOPTER RIGHT OFF THE EXPRESSWAY. MELANIE THERE SHOULD BE A RULE THAT PEOPLE WHO DRINK AND DRIVE TAKE LAKE FRONT DRIVE BACK HOME - A NICE, EASY, AND SLOW PACE. DR. HANSON BOY ARE YOU A DREAMER. MAYBE YOU SHOULD GET MARRIED...SO THAT WILL MEAN YOU’LL BE A SCRUB UP NORTH AT LAKE FOREST HOSPITAL SAM’S HIGH END PRACTICE. GLENDA TAKING CARE OF ALL THAT WEALTH. MELANIE THE BIGGEST TRAUMA THEY HAVE UP NORTH IS A CLOSED REDUCTION ON A PATIENT WITH SUBURBAN SYNDROME. DR. HANSON WHAT IS SUBURBAN SYNDROME? GLENDA YOU DON’T GET IT DR. HANSON. MELANIE IT IS THOSE SPOILED BRATTY KIDS COMING FROM ALL THAT WEALTH. THEY NEVER LEARN THE REAL WORLD IN THAT SETTING. DR. HANSON SO WE ARE ALL TO GROW UP LIKE ABE LINCOLN, COME FROM NOTHING, AND BE THE AMERICAN DREAM. I DON’T BUY IT.
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GLENDA LOOK AT WHAT THE WORLD HAS TURNED INTO. HMMM....ARE WE SEEING IN OUR PATIENTS SELF SERVING BEHAVIOR, ENDLESS DRUGS, IRRESPONSIBILITY, AND IMMATURITY? DR. HANSON BUT WE ARE A TRAUMA UNIT. GLENDA BUT WHAT WE ARE SEEING HERE AT COOK IS A REFLECTION OF OUR SOCIETY. DR. HANSON EVERYONE IS BORN WITH SOME BAGGAGE - EVEN IF IT IS WEALTH, AND ONE BECOMES A SPOILED BRAT. GLENDA DR. HANSON - WE BOTH GREW UP ON THE SOUTH SIDE OF CHICAGO. SO DID THE UNITED STATES PRESIDENT IN PART. MELANIE AND LOOK AT BOTH OF YOU NOW. DAMN GOOD IN THE OR, BUT HAVING TO CARRY A CURSE OF BEING SOX FANS FOR LIFE. THERE IS NO LOWER EXISTENCE. DR. HANSON I’M EXHAUSTED HOLDING MY LIVER PACKING IN PLACE. HOPEFULLY THOSE GUYS AT THE TOP HAVE GIVEN FACTOR VII. NEURO AND ORTHO HAVE NEARLY FINISHED. WE JUST NEED TO ESTABLISH COAGULATION - ESPECIALLY WITH A HEMOGLOBIN OF 7. MELANIE WHAT ABOUT GETTING THE HEMOGLOBIN BEYOND 10 WITH THE LEVEL ONE RAPID TRANSFUSER, AND THEN APPLY ALL THE PACKING THE ABDOMEN WILL HOLD. GLENDA THEN OFF TO THE RUSH ICU - WHERE THE TRAUMA FELLOWS CAN MANAGE THIS GENTLEMAN. 6
DR. HANSON GREAT IDEA. BLOOD, BLOOD PRODUCTS, MORE FACTOR VII, AND A TIGHT ELASTIC NET FOR MY PACKING. WE’LL LEAVE THE WOUND OPEN WITH THE NEW TRANSPARENT ADHESIVE DRESSING. LOOKS GOOD. GLENDA WE ARE OUT OF HERE. WHERE YOU OFF TO MELANIE? SAM CALLED? MELANIE NO HE HAS NOT. AND THAT IS DISTURBING. I’M WIDE AWAKE. I THINK I’LL TAKE THE RED LINE DOWN TO WEAGHMAN’S PARK. SEE IF ANY OF THE 20 SOMETHING CROWD IS THERE. GLENDA DOES ANYONE STILL HANG AT BERNIE’S? DR. HANSON NO, THEY ALL GO TO TUSCANY’S IN FRONT OF THE WRIGLEY - EXPENSIVE DATES, SPOILED SUBURBANITES, AND RED WINE. GLENDA SOUNDS PRETTY GOOD TO ME DR. HANSON. THE BEST I GET IS A MILLER PARK LOOK ALIKE BRATWURST AT COMISKEY - I MEAN US CELLULAR. DR. HANSON AT LEAST THEY PLAY BALL DOWN SOUTH. MY GOD THE CUBS ARE WEASELS. I KNOW LOU HAD FAMILY ISSUES AND ALL, BUT MY GOD THE CUBS LINEUP MAKES SO MUCH MONEY AND PLAYS SO LITTLE BASEBALL THAT THE ENTIRE LINEUP IS PROBABLY AT TUSCANY’S EVERY WEEK. MELANIE THIS CUB TEAM THIS YEAR HAD SO MUCH POTENTIAL. THANKS TO THE LORD FOR PITTSBURGH HAVING A TEAM. THE BUCS HAVE SAVED US FROM THE CELLAR - BUT IT MAY BE CLOSE.
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GLENDA BIG CHANGES NEXT YEAR. PROBABLY RYNO BACK IN TOWN, MANY OFF SEASON TRADES, AND Z - GREAT TALENT BUT BELONGS IN A LOCKED UNIT. HE’S LIKE HAVING A 7TH GRADER ON THE TEAM - EARLY ADOLESCENT BEHAVIOR. DR. HANSON IT WON’T LAST. RICKETTS WILL NO LONGER TOLERATE THIS STUFF. I FEEL A WHOLESALE CLEANSING OF THE CUBS WILL OCCUR IN OCTOBER THIS YEAR. THEY WILL CARVE DOWN THE SALARIES AND FIND GUYS WHO FLAT OUT WANT TO PLAY BASEBALL. MELANIE AND NOT PAY A TON FOR BORDERLINE PLAYERS WHO DON’T PRODUCE. GLENDA THE SOX HAVE BEEN CAUGHT UP IN THAT A BIT ALSO. I SEE CHANGES COMING DOWN THERE TOO. MELANIE I’M OUT THE DOOR TO CATCH THE L. YES I’LL SAY HI TO SAM FOR YOU. WEAGHMAN HEY MELANIE. HOW ARE YOU? MELANIE WHO ARE YOU? AREN’T YOU THE GUY THEY CALL MR. WRIGLEY - WRIGLEY’S GHOST WE KIDDED ABOUT? WEAGHMAN I’M JUST THE OWNER. PEOPLE HERE CALL ME WEAGHMAN. YOU KNOW.... MELANIE YES I KNOW....WEAGHMAN WAS A SCHMUCK WHO BUILT WRIGLEY FIELD AND THEN GOT CHASED OUT OF TOWN. NOW YOU ARE BACK AS HIS GHOST - OR RATHER WRIGLEY’S GHOST - AND YOU LIVE IN ROCKFORD.
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WEAGHMAN YES. VERY GOOD. HOW ABOUT A LEINE’S OCTOBERFEST – FRESH AND SEASONAL - JUST CAME OUT. MELANIE I’D LOVE ONE AFTER A LONG DAY AT COOK COUNTY. WEAGHMAN AND NOT ONLY IS THE BEER KEG FRESH, I HAVE A COMPLIMENTARY ZUERCHER SWISS CHEESE SANDWICH FROM GREEN COUNTY, WISCONSIN ON THE WAY. MELANIE YES, I HAD HEARD THAT ZUERCHERS IN CHICAGO IS SO BUSY AND IN DEMAND, THAT THE FAMILY UP IN GREEN COUNTY IS SUPPLYING THE CHEESE. WEAGHMAN THOSE GREEN COUNTY SWISS APPRENTICES ARE ONLY WORKING 24/7 TO MEET THE CHEESE DEMAND ON CHICAGO. MELANIE WHAT IS GOING ON? I NEVER GOT FREE FOOD AND DRINK WHEN JOSH WAS MANAGING THE SHOP. WEAGHMAN I’M JUST IN A REJOICING MOOD. MELANIE WHAT GIVES? THE CUBS GOT CLOBBERED THIS YEAR. THE BEARS MAY NOT EVEN BE IN THE LEAGUE AFTER THIS SEASON. HOW CAN ANYONE REJOICE? WEAGHMAN BUSINESS IS VERY GOOD. MELANIE I SEE THAT. WEAGHMAN’S PARK IS STUFFED. ARE THEY ALL FROM BERNIE’S? I MEAN BERNIE’S IS AN EXCELLENT PLACE.
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WEAGHMAN NO - CLIENTS ARE COMING FROM ALL OVER. MOSTLY BORDER PEOPLE UP NORTH JUST COMING TO CHICAGO - ADDICTED TO WISCONSIN FOOD AND DRINK. BUT WE HAVE PEOPLE ALL THE WAY FROM INDIANA, IOWA, AND EVEN MINNESOTA HERE. MELANIE YES I KNOW JOSH WHO HAS ALL THESE HOT SHOT DEGREES FROM THE UNIVERSITY OF NO FUN - I MEAN THE UNIVERSITY OF CHICAGO WELL JOSH SAYS THAT THIS SIMPLE BUSINESS MODEL REALLY WORKS. WEAGHMAN AND WE ARE POUNDING IT. JUST CUBS, LEINIE’S AND ZUERCHER’S CHEESE. VERY SIMPLE. MELANIE SO ANYWAY, WHERE IS JOSH? DON’T TELL ME HE IS FINALLY TAKING A BIG BUSINESS LEGAL JOB WITH THE WHITE COLLAR GUYS ALONG THE GOLD COAST. WEAGHMAN HE IS STARTING TO LOOK. HE WAS STAYING UNTIL THE CUBS WON THE SERIES...BUT I JUST DON’T KNOW. THE ROCKFORD ICEHOGS AS YOU KNOW MAY WIN HOCKEY BEFORE THE CUBS WIN THE SERIES. GREAT TEAM. I’VE GOT SEASON TICKETS. MELANIE THINK THE ICEHOGS COULD BEAT THE BLACKHAWKS - I MEAN THE WORLD-CHAMPIONON-ICE BLACKHAWKS? WEAGHMAN ON A GIVEN NIGHT THESE ICEHOGS COULD EVEN BEAT RUSSIA. MELANIE YEAH RIGHT. ANYWAYS HAVE YOU SEEN SAM? WEAGHMAN YES.........I THINK SO.
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MELANIE WHAT DO YOU MEAN I THINK SO? WEAGHMAN HE’S BEEN AROUND. MELANIE I’LL LOOK! OH MY GOD WEAGHMAN! WEAGHMAN WHAT - IT IS NOT WHAT YOU THINK! MELANIE HE IS OVER THERE WITH THAT TOMBOY SOCIAL WORKER CLINGING KERI. WEAGHMAN AGAIN IT IS NOT WHAT YOU THINK! MELANIE DO YOU HAVE ANY SUICIDE BOMBER VOLUNTEERS HERE AT WEAGHMAN’S PARK? WEAGHMAN I WOULD TALK TO THEM. MELANIE YOU ARE SO CLUELESS WEAGHMAN. WEAGHMAN HERE COMES SAM NOW - HE SEES US. I’M OFF TO ANOTHER CUSTOMER. BUSINESS IS GOOD. SAM IT IS NOT WHAT YOU THINK MELANIE. NOT AT ALL! MELANIE I GUESS NOT. IN FACT I THOUGHT IT WAS A BIRTHDAY PARTY - YOU KNOW THE KIND WHERE THERE IS A MAILBOX WITH BALLOONS ATTACHED. OR IT WAS MAYDAY – YOU KNOW WHERE THE GIRL CHASES THE GUY AFTER HE RINGS THE DOORBELL CARRYING FLOWERS. TELL ME IT’S NOT A SLEEP OVER. WE WERE JUST..........
SAM
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MELANIE RELIVING OLD ROMANTIC TIMES. GOOD GOD SAM YOU TOLD ME THIS GIRL WAS OUT OF YOUR BRAIN. WHAT AM I TO THINK? SAM WE JUST WERE TALKING. THAT IS ALL. MELANIE IF THE TWO OF YOU WERE ANY CLOSER, THEN YOU WOULD BE CONSIDERED FUSED - LIKE SIAMESE TWINS. SAM IT WAS KERI THAT WANTED TO BE CLOSE. MELANIE THAT IS A GOOD EXCUSE. LET’S SEE AFTER A LONG SURGICAL CASE AND I’M WALKING THROUGH THE ICU AND A GUY COMES UP AND STARTS HITTING ON ME...AND THEN I START HUGGING BACK - I GUESS IT IS ALL HIS FAULT. I GET IT. YOU NEVER LET UP.
SAM
MELANIE WELL LET’S SEE. LAST WEEK WE TALKED ABOUT GETTING ENGAGED. THAT IS WHERE TWO PEOPLE BECOME A TEAM FOR EVERYTHING. IT’S NOT JUST LIVING TOGETHER. IT IS WALKING DOWN THE AISLE WITH COMMITMENT, COURAGE, FAITH, LOVE, AND WITH MEANINGFUL VOWS. IT IS ABOUT HAVING KIDS, SUBURBANS, MINIVANS, MASS, PTO, DIAPERS, MISSED PERIODS, NO SLEEP, AND SOCCER. I GET ALL THAT.
SAM
MELANIE NO SAM I DON’T THINK YOU DO. AND I’M NOT NAGGING. I’M TELLING IT LIKE IT IS. DO WHAT YOU WANT. I’LL JUST FIND MY WAY BACK TO BERNIE’S. MUCH BETTER CROWD IN THERE ANYWAY. FANS THERE ARE ALREADY TALKING ABOUT NEXT 12
SEASON FOR THE CUBS. I CAN HANDLE YOU. I’M MUCH BETTER FINDING OUT ABOUT YOU NOW THAN GOING THROUGH A HALFWAY COMMITMENT. SAM NO MELANIE, YOU’VE GOT IT ALL WRONG. I DO WANT VACATIONS AT THE DELLS, CUB AND BEAR GAMES ON TV, A MESSY HOUSE, DOGS, LATE FOR WORK, AND GRANDPARENTS IN THE WAY. MELANIE YOU ARE PART SKUNK SAM. I CANNOT DEAL WITH GUYS WHO DON’T WANT TO MAKE A COMMITMENT. SORRY. SAM SO WHERE ARE YOU OFF TO? MELANIE NONE OF YOUR BUSINESS. MAYBE BERNIE’S MAYBE HOME. MAYBE TUSCANY’S. WHY DON’T YOU GO OVER THERE AND TELL THAT TABLE ABOUT ALL THE FAMOUS WRIGLEYVILLE HIGH LONG PASSES YOU THREW TO WHAT’S HIS NAME. SAM WILL...AND HE’S SITTING OVER THERE. MELANIE I’LL NEVER UNDERSTAND GUYS. THEY DO SOMETHING DECENT ATHLETIC AND THEY THINK THAT MAKES THEM OK FOR LIFE. SAM LOOK MELANIE, I’M VERY SORRY. WE CAN WORK THIS OUT RIGHT NOW. MELANIE I DO KNOW A COUPLE THINGS SAM MAXWELL. SAM WHAT WOULD THAT BE? MELANIE YOU CAN NO LONGER USE YOUR STEM CELLS FOR ANYTHING OTHER THAN SKUNK RESEARCH. 13
AND DESPITE YOUR LONG ARM, GOOD ANESTHESIA SKILLS, AND GOOD LOOKS, YOUR EGO IS SO IN YOUR WAY THAT YOU ARE NO LONGER A GOOD CATCH. YOU DON’T DESERVE TO BE IN WEAGHMAN’S PARK!
THE END - COLD ROOMS X
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