Wednesday, February 20, 2013

TWC: "Trials"

(My Trifectan friends, who agree with George Thorogood that "one aint enough, Jack, you better make it three", provide Trifecta Nation with the word "exhaust" this week. This is called "Trials".)







"We need to exhaust all the avenues here. There are combinations we haven't tried, and work is going on all the time. New biologics are being found. I was just at a conference where a French oncologist was showing off a new compound he was using on exactly this kind of disease. There are lots and lots of options."

Her voice was smooth and soft, like I imagined her hair would be. I wondered what she would say if I asked her if I could touch it. It would probably be against the rules. It was fastened on top of her head in a tortoiseshell clip, and it framed her face with very gentle waves. A strand or two had come loose, and I could see them bounce about as she moved her head. She kept her knees tightly together as she faced me, her hands open and flat on the tops of her thighs. I looked guiltily at the tiny dark triangle where her skirt gapped between her knees. The line of the hem was razor sharp. A pencil skirt, I remember hearing someone call it. Her toes pointed straight at me in her modest black shoes.

"May I have your permission to apply for one of the trials Dr. Patel is running downstairs?"

No, I thought, I've had it. Just let me go. Give me some painkillers and let me off of this ride, and I'll go have a jam session with Kurt Cobain in heaven. It's my decision, and I just want all the foolishness about appointments and drugs and infusions over with. No. It's over.

I looked into her eyes, brown and wide and earnest, and I could see how much she wanted me to say yes.

"Sure," I said without realizing it. I never could say no to a pretty face.


10 comments:

  1. Man, that was pretty deep... I thought he was at a medical conference at first... the part about letting go caught me off guard. I had to go back and reread it and then it made perfect sense. Great work! ::)

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  2. It's good that the pretty face is so encouraging (:

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  3. Great take on the prompt, and really good description of the pretty woman.

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  4. Like how the focus is on the doctor as woman. Reality comes booming across anyway!

    Have you read The Fault in Our Stars by John Green?

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  5. Poor guy. I'm not sure I can see this ending well for him.

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  6. This is one of my favorite things you've written. I love how he is sick (probably terminal?) and he's ready to give up hope while the doctors aren't. I also like how he sees the doctor as a woman and is focused on her features (I can almost see her with the wavy hair and tortoise shell clip.)

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    1. Sorry...I don't think I've read your blog before...but I still really liked this piece :)

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