“You can’t get out of it, John,” Lori remarked.
“What, Lori? I’ve forgotten what we were talking about. Suddenly we are champion wine tasters. All I have hoped for is a quiet evening with a very lovely woman.”
“You still can’t get out of it, even with flattery. You were going to tell me how a physician ends up at IBS running errands for a lawyer,” she smiled, pointedly not meaning to be insulting.
“Oh, yes. That was it. Well, to make the story short, I do have a medical degree and I am licensed to practice in the State of New York. By and large, I received a scholarship that paid for my college education, including my medical education at New York University. Basically, I won the scholarship and my grandparents recommended that I pursue a medical career. In their opinion, that was the path to fame and especially to fortune. The problem is, I don’t like practicing medicine. I enjoyed studying medicine. I’m just not very good at the practice. I’ve seen surgeons that can take the tiniest thread and sew a stitch so fine and so straight that you’d believe the person was born with it. I personally have a lot of trouble taking a piece of thread and flossing with it.”
Lori laughed, “So you really did operate on one of Folley’s Russian customers, here on the floor?”
“Yes, right over there next to the wall. I’ll have to find the story Henri was talking about. It probably says the manager did the operation and I assisted.”
“I am impressed, John. I’ll find the story for you. I want to see it myself.”
“Well, if you’re impressed, Miss Li, maybe it was worthwhile. I don’t think you are easily impressed.”
“You might be surprised, John.”
As Thomas was leaning forward over the table toward Lori, Henri the waiter arrived. “Are you ready to order?”
Thomas sunk back in his chair, “Yes, I think we are. Lori you ready?”
“Something light, fish I think. The grouper sounds good.”
“Steak for me, Henri, the small filet please. I’ll be conservative tonight.”
“Should I count on that, John?” Lori asked with her voice more alto than usual.
John watched Henri leave the table and once again leaned forward. As he did he saw, over Lori’s shoulder, the restaurant Manager heading his way with a short man in tow. He was balding on top with thick white hair over his ears. The balding man had an intense look about him as he followed the quick stepping Manager. “Dr. Thomas, please let me interrupt your evening one more time. I want to introduce the Mayor of New York City. He was asking me about the unusual occurrence of an operation being performed right here on my dining room floor. He saw the story in the Post. I told him that you, the heroic surgeon who performed the life saving operation, are sitting right down the floor from him and his guests. He wanted to say hello.”
Thomas gripped the Mayor’s extended hand and introduced Lori. Before Thomas could say anything else the Mayor exclaimed, “Thank you from the City of