Tall On The Inside
Our daughter's seizures had been frightening and uninterrupted for four hours. I felt that she was near death, and the young doctor seemed scared as well. I had been insisting on a certain course of action, but he wouldn't consider it. Having been down that road before, I knew it would work; but he was reluctant to confer with the physician-in-charge at such a late hour. The next morning the reason for his hesitations unexpectedly materialized.
"Dr. Big" breezed into our room at an early hour with an entourage of student doctors in his wake. A tall, stately chap, he was at the top of the heap in his medical specialty -- and it showed. When he politely inquired about our night, I gave him a detailed account of all that had happened. I was surprised when he announced that such an ordeal could not possibly have occurred because he had left orders to the contrary. Perhaps he supposed that a mere father would concoct such a fantasy out of thin air.
But just saying something with a demeaning attitude of authority doesn't make it so. All during the night, I had kept meticulous notes of my requests, when or if a response came, and other pertinent details. They were conclusive: his orders had not been followed, and he promised to "check it out." True to his word, he returned -- without the student doctors -- to apologize. I had been right after all.
"Dr. Little" saw us the next day. Though he also had an entourage, his slight stature made for a striking contrast. The previous night and the tense confrontation with Dr. Big had not been forgotten, and I was on guard for another skirmish in a battle where cryptic terminology often keeps laymen at bay.
But such was not to be. My concern about a medical detail brought a full explanation -- complete with a diagram sketched right on the spot. Restless students were put on hold as he genuinely assured me that no questions were off limits, either then or later. In due time he departed, sweeping students from the room in close pursuit.
Regretfully, we live in a day where grand stature, physical prowess, and intellectual superiority are literally worshiped and flaunted. Dr. Big had them all -- in spades -- but he lacked the one thing that could have so easily claimed my full respect.
On the other hand, Dr. Little won me over with no effort at all. His humble spirit spoke louder than anything else did ... even his impressive medical credentials. Though small on the outside, he was tall on the inside.
I'd rather be tall on the inside any day. Wouldn't you?
Copyright 1998 James McAlister
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