cold rooms CHAPTER 4 - dreams of fridge TIME: FALL 2008 SETTING: SAM MAXWELL, A SENIOR 20 SOMETHING ANESTHESIOLOGY RESIDENT AT COOK COUNTY HOSPITAL - CHICAGO, ILLINOIS IS FINISHING HIS RESIDENCY. SAM IS TRYING TO DECIDE ON A CAREER PATH - BATTLING WITHIN HIS MIND BETWEEN A HIGH END SUBURBAN JOB V DOCTORS WITHOUT BORDERS. SAM LIVES WITH KERI - WHO HE MET AT WEAGHMAN’S PARK - A WISCONSIN THEME ESTABLISHMENT AND 20 SOMETHING HANGOUT AT THE CORNER OF CLARK AND ADDISON IN FRONT OF WRIGLEY FIELD. KERI AND SAM MET DURING THE CUBS MAGICAL 2008 SEASON - WHICH ENDED IN AN UNFORTUNATE EARLY PLAYOFF EXIT. THE O.R. ( OPERATING ROOM ) AND WEAGHMAN’S PARK ARE THE SCENES OF SCRIPT CHATTER - EXTENSIVE NARRATIVE DIALOGUE ABOUT MEDICINE AND SURGERY, CHICAGO SPORTS, AND OTHER IMPORTANT CHICAGO CULTURE AND EVENTS. FOLLOW ALONG AS EACH EPISODE BUILDS WITH EXCITING RELATIONSHIPS AND CONTROVERSIAL TOPICS. SAM KERI, WHAT THE HECK ARE YOU DOING ? KERI I’M MOVING OUT IMMEDIATELY. THAT SIMPLE SAM. SAM WELL YOU WERE NOT KIDDING. KERI NO I AM NOT. I HAVE HELP - YOU’LL JUST HAVE TO STEP ASIDE FOR A COUPLE HOURS. SAM WAIT - WE NEED TO TALK. WE........ KERI NONE OF THIS WE STUFF SAM - IT’S ALL ABOUT YOU - I UNDERSTAND - I’M IN SECOND.....MAYBE THIRD PLACE. I GET IT. I’M JUST GOING TO GET HURT AND I DON’T WANT THAT. SAM WE STILL NEED TO TALK.
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KERI YOU CAN EMAIL ME ON YOUR BLACKBERRY WHEN YOU GET LONELY - THAT WILL WORK. SAM OK - I’LL DO THAT. KERI WELL I’LL JUST HAVE YOUR NAME SPAMMED OUT. SAM OK - I GET IT - IT IS OVER. I’LL JUST HAVE TO DEAL. KERI WE ALL HAVE TO DEAL SAM. I HAVE TOLD YOU A MILLION TIMES THAT OUR RELATIONSHIP IS MOVING FORWARD O.R. IT IS NOT. YOU HAVE THUS DECIDED THAT IT IS NOT, AND THAT IS OK FOR YOU BUT NOT ME. DEAL. SAM WHO ARE ALL THESE PEOPLE COMING UP TO THE DOOR ? KERI ALL MY RELATIVES - THIS IS MY EARLY CHRISTMAS PRESENT. WE ARE ALL GETTING TOGETHER AND THEY HEARD I MAY NEED HELP MOVING - SO THEY ARE ALL DOING IT IN ONE SWOOP TODAY. SAM WHERE ARE YOU GOING ? KERI NONE OF YOUR BUSINESS. I’LL BE ON THE PLANET. WHAT WOULD YOU CARE ANYWAY ? SAM BUT WE MUST TALK KERI - YOU KNOW HOW DIFFICULT RESIDENCY CAN BE - NO SLEEP, CALL ALL THE TIME, PRESSURE, UNABLE TO DO ANYTHING BUT YOUR JOB - NOW I HAVE ANESTHESIA BOARDS LOOMING. KERI IT WILL ALWAYS BE SOMETHING SAM - LIFE ISN’T ALWAYS ABOUT YOU - YOU DO AFFECT OTHER PEOPLE. BUT IF YOU WERE NOT SO SELF CENTERED AND POMPOUS...WELL I CAN’T SAY ANYMORE. SAM WHAT BROUGHT ALL THIS ON ?
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KERI OH LET’S SEE - WE ARE SITTING THERE IN FRONT OF THOSE LAKE FOREST ANESTHESIA GUYS WITH ME AS YOUR CO -HABITATOR - IT WOULD PROBABLY BE OK IF WE WERE GOING SOMEWHERE - ONE OF THE WIVES SAID - OH KERI, DO YOU HAVE ANY PLANS ? SAM AND WHAT DID YOU SAY ? KERI I SAID I DID - BUT SAM DOES NOT. SAM YOU SAID THAT IN FRONT OF THAT GROUP ? KERI YES - THE WIVES ALL SAID THAT IS HOW IT GENERALLY IS GALS ARE MUCH MORE INSIGHTFUL AND MATURE ABOUT RELATIONSHIPS. YOU ARE A WALKING DINOSAUR SAM. BUT ANYWAY HERE COMES MY FAMILY. SAM WHAT WILL I DO WHEN THEY COME ? KERI JUST STAND BACK AND LOOK STUPID - BEFUDDLED. THEY ARE COOL AND UNDERSTAND. THIS WILL NEVER EVER HAPPEN TO ME AGAIN. TRUST ME. SAM WHAT ABOUT STUFF THAT WE BOUGHT TOGETHER ? KERI IT IS ALL MARKED - WHITE IS MINE, BLACK IS YOURS FITTINGLY SINCE YOU ARE THE DEVIL. IF YOU WANT TO CONTEST ANY ITEMS - WELL JUST DO IT IN FRONT OF MY FAMILY - THEY ARE THE JURY. SAM I THINK I SHOULD JUST LEAVE - I CANNOT BELIEVE YOU ARE ACTUALLY DOING THIS KERI. KERI WELL THE NEXT TIME I SEE YOU IT’LL PROBABLY BE AT WEAGHMAN’S PARK I’M SURE. GOOD PLACE FOR YOU TO START OVER. MAYBE YOU SHOULD LEAVE BECAUSE MY FAMILY TO BE HONEST DOESN’T THINK MUCH OF YOU NOW ANYWAY.
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SAM OK - I’LL JUST GRAB MY BLACKBERRY AND LEAVE. OH NO THE HOSPITAL IS PAGING ME STAT. GOT TO GO. KERI OK GANG WE’LL START BY MOVING THE BIG STUFF FIRST LIKE MY DRESSER. ELLIOTT HEY KERI - I HEARD AT WEAGHMAN’S PARK LAST NIGHT YOU WERE DOING THIS MOVE - SO I DECIDED TO HELP. KERI GREAT ELLIOT - WHAT HAVE YOU BEEN UP TO ? ELLIOTT NOT MUCH - WHAT BROUGHT ALL THIS ON ? I THOUGHT YOU TWO WERE LIKE TWO PEAS IN A POD. MEANT TO BE. KERI WELL I’M REAL HONEST ELLIOTT. I LOVE SAM - BUT IT IS NOT GOING ANYWHERE - I’M JUST NOT GOING TO INVEST MY TIME WITH A MAN AND HAVE HIM JUST WALK AWAY WHEN HE FINDS SOMEONE NEW, DIFFERENT, O.R. PERCEIVABLY BETTER. ELLIOTT ARE YOU STILL FIGHTING THAT MELANIE THING ? KERI I GUESS SO - I’M ADMITTEDLY AN AWFULLY JEALOUS INDIVIDUAL. ELLIOTT WELL I UNDERSTAND - MAYBE WE’LL SEE YOU AT WEAGHMAN’S PARK MORE OFTEN NOW. KERI WELL I’LL ONLY BE LIVING A COUPLE BLOCKS FROM THERE AT MY SISTER’S HOUSE - SHE HAS A SPARE BEDROOM. ELLIOTT WELL I SUSPECT SAM WILL BE COMING BACK - RIGHT ? KERI NO I THINK IT’S OVER ELLIOTT. HE IS TOO SCREWED UP BETWEEN DOCTORS WITHOUT BORDERS - YOU KNOW SIBERIA WORK - AND HAVING A CUSHY WELL PAID JOB IN LAKE FOREST.
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ELLIOTT THAT MAY NOT BE A DECISION FOR ME O.R. YOU - BUT WHO KNOWS – PEOPLE LIKE OBAMA AND EVERYONE ARE THINKING COMMUNITY SERVICE THESE DAYS. KERI DON’T TELL ME ALL ABOUT THAT ELLIOTT - MANY OF THESE FOLKS ALSO HAVE FAMILY RESPONSIBILITIES, LOANS, AND OTHER WORRIES. I BET SAM DURING HIS TIME AT COOK TOOK CARE OF LESS THAN FIVE INSURED PATIENTS - HE HAS DONE HIS DOCTORS WITHOUT BORDERS RIGHT HERE IN CHICAGO. ELLIOTT WELL THE WAY I LOOK AT IT - IF HE WAS MADLY IN LOVE WITH YOU HE WOULD GET YOU TO THE ALTER AT OUR OLD CATHOLIC CHURCH IN WRIGLEYVILLE ASAP. KERI I AGREE - BUT IT’S NOT TO BE - I WON’T BE A DOCTOR’S WIFE LUGGING AROUND KIDS WITH AN SUV WITH NO HELP - MAYBE THAT IS NOT ME ANYWAY. I COULD SIT HERE AND CRY BUT I JUST MUST MOVE ON - THANKS EVERYONE FOR THE HELP WITH THE MOVE. IT IS FANTASTIC ! ELLIOTT SAY WHY DON’T YOU HEAD OVER TO WEAGHMAN’S PARK TONIGHT - I THINK MANY OF OUR INNER CIRCLE WILL BE THERE. WE ARE PROBABLY TALKING ABOUT THE BEARS IN THE PLAYOFFS, MAYBE A TOUCH OF BULLS, AND WHAT IS HAPPENING WITH LOU AND THE CUBS. KERI I DON’T KNOW ELLIOTT. I’M SO EMBARRASSED WITH MYSELF, FAMILY, SAM, EVERYONE - MAYBE I’M NOT DOING THE RIGHT THING - BUT DEEP INSIDE I KNOW THIS SPLIT IS THE RIGHT THING. IT IS TOUGHER WHEN YOU ARE A TWENTY SOMETHING BECAUSE IT’S LIKE A DIVORCE - NOT JUST BREAKING UP WITH A BOYFRIEND. OK - MAYBE I NEED TO VENT A BIT - I’LL SEE YOU AT WEAGHMAN’S PARK TONIGHT . ELLIOTT GOOD - NOW YOU CAN ACTUALLY EAT ALL THAT ZUERCHER CHEESE AND MEATS - SINCE PEOPLE THAT BREAK UP ALWAYS LOSE 10 - 15 POUNDS. KERI WHY IS THAT ? ELLIOTT OH STRESS, DEPRESSION, INDIGESTION, AND LACK OF SLEEP. 6
KERI GREAT - I’VE GOT ALL THIS TO LOOK FORWARD TO. SEE YOU TONIGHT AT WEAGHMAN’S PARK. ELLIOTT THE LAST BOX GOES IN MY BAND’S TRUCK GANG REMEMBER YOUR KEY KERI - YOU MAY NEED IT. KERI I DOUBT IT - I’M SO FLAMING MAD - I’M TOSSING THIS KEY INTO THE BUSHES - MAYBE A BURGLAR WILL FIND IT AND ATTACK SAM. MANY MONTHS DOWN THE TUBE - I’M DRIVING HOME TO A NEW LIFE. ELLIOTT HEY JOSH - WHAT IS GOING ON WITH THE BEARS - ANY BIG MOVES FOR THE PLAYOFFS ? NOW THAT WE ARE ALL TOGETHER AT WEAGHMAN’S PARK - AND YOU HAVE ALL THE TOWN SCOOP - LET US IN ON IT. JOSH THERE IS A RUMOR THAT ONE OF LUKE BUTKUS’S LINEMAN, DAN BUENNING 6 FOOT FOUR INCHES TALL AND 320 POUNDS, MAY BE PUT IN AT BLOCKING BACK O.R. EVEN RUNNING FULLBACK ON THE GOAL LINE. ELLIOTT NO WAY - BUENNING DOESN’T HAVE HANDS. JOSH BUT REMEMBER THE REFRIGERATOR - HE DEVELOPED HANDS, AND WAS FAIRLY COORDINATED AT 400 POUNDS. ELLIOTT I GET IT - BUT MATT FORTE HAS PLAYED SUCH GOOD BALL AS OUR MAIN RUNNING BACK THIS YEAR. HE IS REALLY A STUD FROM TULANE. WILL WELL BUENNING COULD BE A DECOY. HE IS A GOOD PLAYER - AND HECK I’M CERTAIN HE’S COACHED WELL WITH LUKE THERE AT HIS SIDE. JOSH WELL RON TURNER, OUR OFFENSIVE GENIUS, IS ALWAYS COMING UP WITH SOMETHING. I THINK IT MAY BE A TRICK PLAY AT THE END OF THE HALF O.R. GAME. WILL BUT I DON’T SEE IT AS ANYMORE THAN A DECOY.
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KERI I DON’T KNOW GUYS - THE GUYS OVER IN THE NEXT BOOTH WERE TALKING ABOUT THIS ALSO - I GUESS THE SPORTS GUY ON WGN STARTED THIS RUMOR. AND IT MAY BE NOTHING MORE THAN A RUMOR. WILL SO HOW ARE YOU DOING KERI - LONG TIME NO SEE - I GUESS THE NEXT TIME I THOUGHT I’D SEE YOU WAS AT A WEDDING. WHAT HAPPENED ? KERI NOTHING - THAT IS THE PROBLEM - I’M JUST STARTING TO GET THOUGH THIS. SAM IS JUST SO SCREWED UP RIGHT NOW TO HAVE A SERIOUS RELATIONSHIP O.R. MARRIAGE. IT IS OVER. I’M MOVING ON. I’M OK - I STILL HAVE MY JOB AND A GREAT SISTER WHO TOOK ME IN. JOSH GOOD ATTITUDE KERI. VERY GOOD. JUST LIKE THE BEARS - I’VE HEARD A HUNDRED DIFFERENT PLAYOFF SCENARIOS THE PAST WEEK. HECK WE MAY NOT EVEN BE IN THE PLAYOFFS BY THE TIME WE KICK OFF AGAINST GREEN BAY AT SOLDIER FIELD ON MONDAY NIGHT - BUT I THINK WE WILL BE. WILL ACTUALLY I THINK WE COULD WIN THE WHOLE THING IF WE GET IN. O.R. TON’S ANKLE IS BETTER - WE ARE USING HESTER A TON. LUKE’S LINE IS BLOWING FOLKS OFF THE BALL - IT IS GREAT. BUT IT’LL BE VERY CLOSE. WE NEED TO TAKE CARE OF OUR BUSINESS RIGHT HERE AND NOW. WE COULD STILL WIN THE DIVISION IF THE VIKINGS LOSE BOTH AND WE WIN BOTH. KERI IT DEFINITELY COULD HAPPEN - I DON’T SEE ANY PLAYOFF GAMES IN CHICAGO - BUT YOU NEVER KNOW. I’LL TAKE ANOTHER LEINIES OCTOBERFEST JOSH. JOSH WE ARE ON OUR LAST BARREL - THIS IS SEASONAL STUFF AND WINTER IS FINALLY HERE. WILL SPEAKING OF WINTER AND YOU CAN CLOSE YOUR EARS KERI - I DID HEAR THAT SAM’S O R GROUP IS ALL GOING UP TO ALPINE VALLEY FOR A FOUR DAY WEEKEND IN JANUARY LIKE A RETREAT FOR MORALE. KERI HOW DID YOU GUYS FIND OUT ABOUT THAT ? 8
JOSH WELL MELANIE WAS IN HERE A COUPLE NIGHTS AGO GIVING US THE DETAILS. KERI I’M SURE SHE IS. AND I’M SURE SHE’LL TRY TO BUNK UP WITH SAM - BUT FRANKLY GANG I DON’T CARE - THEY CAN HAVE EACH OTHER - AND IF THOSE TWO SHOW UP HERE I’M OUT OF HERE FOREVER. I’M SORRY. WILL WELL JOSH DIDN’T TELL YOU KERI. KERI TELL ME WHAT - AND I WANT ANOTHER BEER AND ANOTHER SHEYBOYGAN BRAT BECAUSE ACCORDING TO ELLIOTT I’M CERTAIN TO LOSE 10 - 15 POUNDS THROUGH ALL THIS - THIS IS MY CHANCE TO EAT ALL THIS ZUERCHER CHEESE - PASS THE CURDS PLEASE GUYS. JOSH KERI, MELANIE ASKED ME TO GO TO ALPINE VALLEY WITH HER. KERI AND YOU SAID NO OF COURSE. JOSH NOT QUITE. KERI NO - YOU ARE GOING WITH THAT YOU KNOW WHAT - THE MOST MISERABLE DESPICABLE WOMAN ON EARTH. WELL YOU AND SAM CAN FIGHT OVER HER AS YOU SLED DOWN THE HILL. WILL I GUESS MELANIE PLANNED THE WHOLE THING. THE WHOLE O R IS GOING. KERI JOSH, I CANNOT BELIEVE THIS - I MAY NEVER COME BACK HERE - I’LL BE FIGHTING THIS WOMAN UNTIL I’M NEARLY DEAD IN A HOSPICE. JOSH IT’S NOT WHAT YOU THINK KERI. WE ARE JUST GOOD FRIENDS - SHE’S ACTUALLY VERY NICE. WILL AND JOSH AND HER ARE GOING TO THE MONDAY NIGHT GAME AT SOLDIER FIELD WHERE THE WINDCHILL MAY BE - 45 DEGREES. SNUGGLE WEATHER. 9
KERI WHAT - IT’S LIKE YOU ARE GOING STEADY JOSH. WHERE DID YOU GET THE TICKETS - AND WHY NOT TAKE ME TO THE GAME AT LEAST AS A FRIEND ? JOSH WELL I JUST HAD A BORDER CUSTOMER GIVE ME THE TICKETS BECAUSE HE SAID HIS WIFE DOESN’T LIKE COLD - WHAT WAS I GOING TO DO ? MELANIE OFFERED ME SOMETHING, AND SO I DECIDED TO RETURN THE FAVOR. NO BIG DEAL. WE’RE JUST FRIENDS. KERI JOSH - YOU HAVE JUST SEEN YOUR LITTLE FRIENDLY LIFE STYLE VANISH. IF YOU GO WITH MELANIE - WELL SHE IS VERY VERY PUSHY - AND SHE’LL HAVE YOU OUT OF WEAGHMAN’S PARK IN A HEARTBEAT. THE BEST YOU’LL GET IS A 90 HOUR WORK WEEK IN DOWNTOWN CHICAGO; AND GET THE CUBS GAME ON WGN COMING HOME AT NIGHT. NO BETTER. YOUR HOUSE PAYMENT WILL HAVE YOU IN DEBT FOREVER. SHE IS VERY SLY JOSH - AND SHE DOESN’T KNOW POOP ABOUT SPORTS - YOU’LL BE TALKING TO YOURSELF WHILE YOU’RE CHANGING DIAPERS. WILL SETTLE DOWN KERI - HAVE ANOTHER LEINIES SINCE YOU ARE WALKING HOME ONLY A COUPLE BLOCKS NOW. KERI AND THAT IS PURE CRAP ABOUT BUENNING CARRYING THE FOOTBALL - THERE WILL NEVER BE ANOTHER FRIDGE IN CHICAGO - THESE BIG GUYS LUKE HAS - WELL NONE OF THEM HAVE HANDS - ZERO. THAT IS JUST A RUMOR LOVIE O.R. RON TURNER STARTED - TO SCARE GREEN BAY AND THE REST OF THE LEAGUE IF WE GET IN THE PLAYOFFS. ELLIOTT DO YOU THINK THE PACKERS WILL EVEN PUT UP A FIGHT NOW THEY ARE PLAYING FOR DRAFT POSITION. THEY ARE ACTUALLY A DAM GOOD TEAM WHO LOST A TON OF CLOSE ONES - I BET WE’D HAVE A TOUGH TIME BEATING THEM IF THE GAME MEANT SOMETHING TO THEM AS FAR AS THE PLAYOFFS GO. WILL ORTON’S ANKLE WILL HAVE HEALED BY GAME TIME I HOPE. HE’S ACTUALLY GETTING A LONG TERM DEAL WITH THE BEARS THIS OFF SEASON. THE TEAM - ESPECIALLY THE RECEIVERS - ARE BACKING THE DEAL.
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ELLIOTT BUT WHAT DO WE DO WITH REX - LOVIE IS STILL HUNG UP ON HIM BEING ON THE BEARS. I DON’T GET IT. WILL I THINK HE’S OK AS A BACKUP. HE CANNOT HURT YOUR TEAM THERE. BUT IF HE HAD TO LIKE GO IN IN THE SECOND QUARTER - WHO KNOWS. ELLIOTT MY GOD LOOK WHO IS WALKING INTO WEAGHMAN’S PARK.
End-Chapter 4, cold rooms
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