Cold Riooms - Chapter6

cold rooms chapter 6 - FRESH START TIME: WINTER 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. KERI WOW JOSH - THE CUBS SEASON IS ALMOST HERE - GREAT SPRING TRAINING. I CAN FEEL IT. JOSH A TON HAS CHANGED SINCE LAST YEAR. AGAIN WE WERE CLOSE BUT WHO KNOWS MAYBE IT WILL BE THIS YEAR WHEN NO ONE EXPECTS ANYTHING FROM US. KERI I DON’T KNOW. I THINK THE LEAGUE WILL EXPECT MUCH FROM THE CUBS. WE WON THE NL CENTRAL LAST YEAR THERE’S NO REASON WE CANNOT REPEAT. JOSH I AGREE - BUT IT’S THE NEXT STEP WHERE WE FALTER - SEEMINGLY EVERY YEAR WITH GREAT COACHES AND PLAYERS WHO UNDER PERFORM WHEN THEY’RE SUPPOSED TO STEP UP. KERI NO DOUBT - WE ARE UNDER PERFORMING IN THE PLAYOFFS BUT HECK LAST YEAR WAS PRETTY GOLDEN.

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JOSH I TELL THAT TO ALL THE BREWER FANS IN HERE LATELY - THEY TELL ME THAT WE WON’T EVEN MAKE A RUN FOR THE NL CENTRAL THIS YEAR. I TELL THEM NICELY THAT THE COMPASS IS POINTING SOUTH WHERE THE NL PENNANT AND SERIES VICTORS WILL BE. KERI WELL THE BREWERS LOST SABATHIA WHO REALLY HELPED THEM LAST YEAR AT THE END OF THE SEASON - VERY GOOD PLAYER WHO IS NOW WITH THE YANKEES. JOSH I’M SURE YOU HEARD ABOUT THE FIRST GAME IN NEW YANKEE STADIUM - BOTH FOUL POLES WERE HIT FOR HOMERS AGAINST OUR STAFF. I GUESS THE NEW STADIUM HAS THE CHARM OF THE OLD WITH ALL THE NICETIES. KERI WELL WE NEED TO BUILD ON LILLY’S AND DEMPSTER’S 17 WINS A PIECE FROM LAST YEAR. JOSH YOU BET - I CAN ACTUALLY SEE OUR LINE UP NOW - DEREK AT FIRST, FONTENOT AT SECOND, RAMIREZ AT THIRD, THERIOT IN THE HOLE, SOTO BEHIND THE PLATE, ALFONSO IN LEFT, BRADLEY IN RIGHT AND FUKUDOME IN CENTER. KERI AND Z IS STILL OUR ACE EVEN THOUGH HE DIDN’T HAVE AS MANY WINS LAST YEAR. JOSH AND OUR BULLPEN ACE IS.....

KERI SAMARDZIJA ! MY BOYFRIEND. JOSH UNBELIEVABLE LINEUP AND IMPROVED - HECK WITH GUYS LIKE MILES AND REED JOHNSON COMING OFF THE BENCH WE ARE REALLY SET. KERI NO KIDDING. HEY HERE COMES WILL. ANOTHER LATE NIGHT TRIP TO WEAGHMAN’S PARK FOR THIS BRUISER. JOSH HEY WILL - WHAT’S UP ?

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WILL OH NOT MUCH - JUST BROKE UP WITH MY GIRL LAST NIGHT SO I’M DEPRESSED. KERI SO LET’S SEE - WHICH ONE ? THE GAL FROM NORTHERN O.R. THE GAL THAT WORKS AT OHARE THAT YOU MET ON THE L O.R. ..

WILL NO NONE OF THEM - I’M JUST NOT GOOD ENOUGH FOR ANYONE. REMEMBER I HAVE ADHD - AFTER I TELL THEM THAT WHEN THINGS ARE GOING WELL - WELL IT’S OVER. JOSH WHAT IS THAT ALL ABOUT - NONE OF US ARE PERFECT. WILL WELL I HATE TO SAY IT, BUT I REALLY FEEL THAT THEY ARE CONCERNED ABOUT OFFSPRING THAT WILL ALSO SUFFER FROM ADHD AND BE LIKE ME. KERI I’M SORRY WILL - LOVE GOES DEEPER THAN THAT. WILL WELL KERI AFTER I MEET THESE GALS’ PARENTS AND THINGS ARE GOING WELL - I JUST PLAIN GET DUMPED EITHER DIRECTLY O.R. INDIRECTLY BY GETTING THE FLAT AFFECT/SILENT TREATMENT - YOU KNOW. JOSH OH WELL - I STILL GET CALLS FROM MELANIE. KERI DON’T EVEN MENTION THAT YOU KNOW HER. I’M SURE SAM AND HER HAD A GREAT TIME UP AT ALPINE VALLEY. JOSH I DOUBT IT - I SAW MELANIE RIGHT AFTER COOK COUNTY’S SURGICAL RETREAT AT ALPINE VALLEY, AND SHE DIDN’T EVEN MENTION SAM. I THINK SHE HAS FINALLY GIVEN UP ON SAM. I HEAR HE IS DEFINITELY GOING TO SIBERIA WITH DOCTORS WITHOUT BORDERS. KERI WELL I’VE HEARD NOTHING - I PROBABLY SCREWED UP BIG TIME - BUT I’M SO SICK OF STRUGGLING AND I’M TOLD THAT UNLESS HE IS WILLING TO SWIM......

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WILL UPSTREAM IN SHARK INFESTED WATERS TO GIVE YOU A LEMONADE - WELL HE AIN’T WORTH IT. KERI RIGHT - THAT IS IT - BUT HECK MAYBE I WAS JUST BEING TOO HARD ON SAM. JOSH DOESN’T HE FINISH IN JULY OF THIS YEAR ?

KERI YES IT’S BEEN A LONG TOUGH RESIDENCY. JOSH ALL MEDICAL O.R. SURGICAL RESIDENCIES ARE LONG AND TOUGH. WILL I GUESS - BUT COOK IS LIKE A WAR ZONE AT TIMES WITH ALL THE STRESS OF CHICAGO. HEY I JUST GOT A TEXT FROM SAM - MY OLD QB AT WRIGLEYVILLE HIGH. GUESS WHAT ?

KERI OH - HE’S GOING TO ANTARTICA - SIBERIA WAS FAR TOO WARM FOR HIM. JOSH I BET HE’S ON HIS WAY OVER HERE - YES HERE TO WEAGHMAN’S PARK. KERI

BY HIMSELF ?

WILL NO SAM AND DR. HANSON AND GLENDA THE CHIEF SURGICAL NURSE AT COOK ARE ALL COMING - THEY WERE ALL AT AN EDUCATIONAL SEMINAR RIGHT AROUND THE CORNER TODAY. KERI OH MY GOD - I’LL HAVE TO LEAVE - HE WILL FREAK WHEN HE SEES ME. GOOD BYE GUYS. SEE YOU LATER. WILL DON’T LEAVE KERI - I MEAN IT - THIS IS YOUR CHANCE. KERI NO I’M GONE - I’M NOT READY, I MEAN I HAVEN’T DONE MY HAIR, NAILS, MAKE UP O.R. ANYTHING.

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JOSH KERI - YOU HAVE TO STAY - ALL THAT GIRL STUFF DOESN’T MEAN ANYTHING TO A GUY. IT’S JUST FROSTING ON THE CAKE. KERI YOU DON’T GET IT - IT IS HOW WE FEEL - THAT SIMPLE. JOSH I GET IT A BIT - BUT THIS IS YOUR BIG CHANCE - A SERENDIPITY MEETING RIGHT HERE AT WEAGHMAN’S PARK. AFTER A COUPLE BEERS - WHO KNOWS - YOU GUYS WILL HAVE A GREAT TIME. WILL I AGREE.....AND IN FACT IT IS TOO LATE. THEY ARE WALKING IN. KERI YOU’VE GOT TO BE KIDDING !

JOSH HEY SAM - HOW ARE YOU DOING ?

SAM GREAT - HOW IS EVERYTHING HERE AT WEAGHMAN’S PARK ?

STILL HAVEN’T TAKEN THE GOLD COAST DOWNTOWN LEGAL BUSINESS JOB YET ?

KERI HE IS JUST TAKING HIS TIME - ENJOYING CHICAGO. SAM I SEE......AND YOU ARE HIS MENTOR KERI ?

KERI YOU BET - I GUIDE THE GUYS AT WEAGHMAN’S PARK TO A BETTER LIFE. WILL SO SAM - WHEN DO YOU LEAVE FOR SIBERIA ?

DR. HANSON HE IS NOT GOING TO SIBERIA. GLENDA HE IS FLAT OUT STAYING HERE... AND THE ENTIRE COMMUNITY OF CHICAGO IS CELEBRATING.

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SAM YES I JUST SIGNED THE LAKE FOREST PAPERS TODAY AND WILL WORK PRN WEEKENDS AT COOK AS A STAFF ANESTHESIOLOGIST. I GET BOTH WORLDS. NOT BAD. KERI GOOD DECISION SAM - I’M HAPPY FOR YOU. SAM WELL THANKS. IT WAS DIFFICULT AS YOU KNOW - BUT THE STAFF AT COOK TREATED ME SO WELL....

GLENDA AND HE WAS OUR STAR RESIDENT SO WE ARE TICKLED THAT HE IS GOING TO BE AROUND HELPING OUT. CHICAGO DOWNTOWN WILL BE HIS DOCTORS WITHOUT BORDERS. HAVEN’T I SEEN YOU IN THE DOCTOR’S LOUNGE BEFORE KERI - YOU LOOK FAMILIAR. KERI YES I WAS INVITED THERE FREQUENTLY BY SAM. GLENDA OH I’M SORRY - HOW STUPID OF ME - YOU ARE SAM’S GIRL RIGHT ?

KERI NOT QUITE - I WALKED OUT A FEW WEEKS AGO BECAUSE OF THE DOCTORS WITHOUT BORDERS STUFF. DR. HANSON GLENDA IS JUST NOT GETTING IT TONIGHT. GLENDA YOU ARE BRINGING UP SOUR MEMORIES. KERI NO SHE ISN’T - I JUST WANTED TO HAVE SOME NORMALCY TO MY LIFE - WHO WOULDN’T - HAVING A SERIOUS BOYFRIEND O.R. HUSBAND IN SIBERIA - WHO WOULD WANT THAT ?

GLENDA I GUESS IF HE WAS MR. RIGHT - IT WOULDN’T MATTER WHERE HE WAS - I’D RATHER STARE AT MR. RIGHT FOR FIVE SECONDS EVERY TEN YEARS THAN HAVE MR. WRONG IN MY FACE DAILY. WILL THAT WOULD BE TOUGH. BUT HEY SAM I’M REALLY HAPPY FOR YOU. YOU WON’T ESCAPE THOSE AWFULLY COLD ROOMS AT COOK AFTER ALL.

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DR. HANSON WELL THE REASON THEY ARE COLD IS SUCH THAT THE NURSES ALL HAVE A DIFFERENT THERMOSTAT THAN THE GUYS IN THE ROOM. GLENDA YES - WE ACKNOWLEDGE THAT - BUT MY GOD WHEN TRAUMA COMES IN DR. HANSON TURNS THE THERMOSTAT UP SO HIGH I’M ABOUT PASSING OUT FROM THE SWEAT. SAM NO I’M AN ABSOLUTE ICEBERG AT THE TOP OF THE TABLE WHERE THE SURGICAL LIGHTS ARE NOT SHINING. IT IS DAM COLD IN THOSE ROOMS MOST OF THE TIME. GLENDA WELL ANYWAY - YOU GUYS CAN PUT ON EXTRA CLOTHING WHEN IT’S COLD AND WHEN IT’S HOT IT CERTAINLY ISN’T EASY FOR ME TO UNDRESS. KERI SO SAM WAS YOUR HOT SHOT RESIDENT THIS YEAR ? I THOUGHT THAT WOULD BE THE CASE. DR. HANSON BARING A SCREW UP HE’LL WIN RESIDENT OF THE YEAR AWARD. THAT IS A BIG DEAL AND THAT GETS Y0U A JOB ANYWHERE COMING FROM COOK COUNTY. WILL WAY TO GO SAM ! I THINK DR. HANSON WANTS THAT 1888 BOCK OF LEINIES. KERI AND A PLATE OF ZUERCHER CHEESE - JUST THE STANDARD SWISS, BRICK AND MUENSTER. GLENDA YES I HEAR WEAGHMAN’S PARK IS BECOMING QUITE THE PLACE - WE TALK ABOUT IT IN SURGERY - PRETTY NEAT THEME. IT’S ALL ABOUT THOSE....

JOSH BORDER PEOPLE UP IN WISCONSIN - THOSE FOLKS WHO FREEZE MOST OF THE YEAR AND COME DOWN TO CHICAGO FOR FUN...BUT CANNOT GET AWAY FROM THE WISCONSIN BEER AND CHEESE. DR. HANSON BUT ZUERCHER’S IS IN CHICAGO.

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JOSH YES BUT ALL THE RELATIVES ARE IN GREEN COUNTY WISCONSIN. GLENDA AND THAT IS WHERE THE CHEESE IS FROM - RIGHT ?

JOSH WELL REALLY SWITZERLAND. THAT’S WHERE THE ANCESTRY O.R. IGINATED - AND NOW WE’VE GOT THAT GREAT CHEESE REALLY GOING IN CHICAGO. KERI AND WITH LEINENKUGEL BEER - WELL YOU’VE REALLY GOT A GREAT BUSINESS MODEL. WILL DON’T FORGET ABOUT THE SHEBOYGAN BRATS - MANY PEOPLE ARE IN HERE BECAUSE OF THE BRATS FROM UP NORTH. GLENDA WOW - THIS CHEESE IS REALLY GREAT AND THE BEER ON TAP IS REALLY SOMETHING. JOSH YES I POURED YOU A LEINIE’S LIGHT - MOST GALS LOVE THAT STUFF. KERI YES THAT IS ALL I DRINK - IT REALLY HITS THE SPOT. SO DR. HANSON HAVING YOU BEEN CHEERING THE BULLS ON THIS YEAR ?

DR. HANSON YES - THEY ARE ONE OF THE MOST IMPROVED TEAMS THIS YEAR - GETTING SALMONS INTO THE MIX WITH ROSE AND GORDON HAS REALLY HELPED THIS TEAM. WILL WE’LL MAKE THE PLAYOFFS WITH A LOSING RECORD PROBABLY - THAT IS HOW WEAK THE EAST IS COMPARED TO THE WEST. AMAZING. GLENDA I STILL REMEMBER THE BABY BULLS BACK IN THE MID SIXTIES WHEN THEY JUST GOT STARTED - WE’VE COME A LONG WAY. I REALLY LIKE THIS TEAM.

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KERI ALL IS GREAT EXCEPT WE DON’T HAVE SEFALOSHA THIS YEAR. BUT I DO ADMIT IF NOAH WOULD PLAY TO HIS POTENTIAL - WE WOULD REALLY BE SOMETHING. DR. HANSON YES MICROWAVE BEN GORDON IS REALLY HEATING UP - HE COULD WIN SOME CLOSE GAMES FOR US IN THE PLAYOFFS. VERY STREAKY. JOSH SO DR. HANSON - YOU’VE BEEN OVER TO THE UNITED CENTER FOR SOME GAMES THIS YEAR ?

DR. HANSON YES I GO WAY BACK LIKE GLENDA TO THE BABY BULL ERA FOLLOWED EVERY GAME SINCE THEY O.R. IGINATED. I EVEN LIKE THE NON MICHAEL YEARS. KERI WE’VE REALLY GOT SOME SPORTS FANS IN HERE. BUT.....

JOSH I THINK - WELL I KNOW THESE FOLKS ARE DIE HARD SOX FANS - THE ENEMY. WILL YOU MAY BE THE ONLY NICE SOX FANS IN THE UNIVERSE MOST ARE DIFFICULT TO TOLERATE IF I CAN PUT IT NICELY. GLENDA WELL WE HAVE MANY MORE SERIES WINS THAN THE NORTH SIDERS. DR. HANSON AND ON TOP OF THAT MOST FOLKS DOWN SOUTH REALLY ENJOY THE SOX AND DON’T WORRY ABOUT HAVING A SERIES WIN. IT JUST COMES - THERE IS TOO MUCH PRESSURE UP NORTH. KERI HANG ON DR. HANSON - I DON’T TOTALLY AGREE WITH THIS - THOUGH OZZIE KNOWS BASEBALL - HE CERTAINLY WOULD NOT FIT IN ONE BIT UP NORTH. TRUST ME, THOSE DESPICABLE FOLKS DOWN THERE JUST TOLERATE HIM NOT MUCH MORE. JOSH WELL I’LL GIVE YOU THAT OZZIE IS RESPECTED BY BASEBALL, HIS PLAYERS, AND REALLY DOES KNOW THE GAME.

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GLENDA SEEMS TO ME WE’VE GOT THE BETTER OF THE CUBS THE PAST FEW YEARS. WILL THAT WILL ALL END THIS YEAR. LOU REALLY INTENDS TO MAKE A DENT INTO THE SOX SERIES THIS YEAR. DR. HANSON ALL I CAN SAY IS THAT WE JUST ENJOY THE BASEBALL WITHOUT ALL THE PRESSURE TO WIN A SERIES. THAT IS THE DIFFERENCE. AND THIS ZUERCHER CHEESE AND LEINIES BEER IS ABSOLUTELY FABULOUS. WE’LL HAVE TO COME HERE MORE OFTEN GLENDA. GLENDA WELL IT WOULD BE LIKE THE CONFEDERACY SNEAKING UP TO GETTYSBURG LOOKING FOR A BATTLE - WE ARE TRULY OUTSIDERS UP ON THE NORTH SIDE - AND THAT IS A BIG DIFFERENCE. WE ONLY LET SAM IN BECAUSE HE’S A GREAT RESIDENT. DR. HANSON WELL LOOKS LIKE I’LL BE COMING TO SOME BULLS PLAYOFF GAMES AT THE UNITED CENTER BY THE L TRAIN AFTER ROUNDS IF I CAN GET HERE ON TIME. SAM I REALLY CANNOT WAIT - WE ARE A REAL DARKHORSE - AS CLEVELAND, O.R. LANDO, BOSTON, AND DETROIT HAMMER AWAY AT EACH OTHER WE COULD SNEAK IN WITH REALLY GOOD PLAY. KERI JOSH - GET GLENDA ANOTHER LEINIES LIGHT. I’M OUT OF HERE. CONGRATULATIONS SAM. I’M CERTAIN MELANIE WILL BE QUITE HAPPY WITH YOUR DECISION TO STAY HERE NEXT YEAR AND PRACTICE WITH HER ON WEEKENDS. SAM I HAVE 2 SOX TICKETS FOR OPENING DAY FROM A PATIENT FRONT ROW - INTERESTED ?

KERI MY GOD SAM WHAT HAS HAPPENED TO YOU. YOU KNOW IT’S VERY DIFFICULT FOR ME TO EVEN BE AROUND SOUTHSIDERS - NOW YOU’VE JOINED THEM. I’LL THINK ABOUT IT. I’M OUT OF HERE.

END-CHAPTER 6, cold rooms

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