Doctor Manning a Short Story (Watty Awards 2011)

“You can back out of this now, I mean you’re only curious, why don’t you dispose of your results when they come and wait for the surprises that life may throw at you?”

“I can’t…I…they’ve already taken a lot of money off me,” she cried.

“How are you getting your results?”

“They’re emailing them to me.”

“So, you’re only curious to see your results, but when faced with a possible harsh reality, you don’t want to discard the results?”

“So?” she asked. But Doctor Manning’s head had disappeared behind his writing pad, furiously writing, reading, and rewriting. Faye watched him as she craned her neck to see his notes. Quickly Doctor Manning hid them from her view, but not before she had seen five words.

‘Possible psychological medical trauma – investigate!’

“I think this session is over,” she squeaked, her voice unlike her own. Doctor Manning stared at her in surprise as her cheeks blushed crimson. Like a deer she bolted out of the room and through the waiting room, waving a goodbye to the receptionist. She hit her shoulder against the wire door as she made her way out of the clinic, hoping that she would never have to go there again.

Doctor Manning sighed as he watched Faye race out of the room. She’d be back, they always came back. He sat there reviewing his bedside manner, taking great offense at her alarm. Reading his notes he knew there was more to this DNA test than just being ‘curious’. He stood up and stretched, then slowly walked out of his consultation room. The waiting room had no one waiting and he chuckled at the irony. His secretary was sitting in her chair, her professionalism displayed in her straight back and fast typing hands.

“There’s no one here Louise, you can relax,” he said as she popped her head out from behind the screen. When she saw it was only him, she did as he said and slumped in her chair.

“Typing a novel are we?” he asked her. She blushed a little, fumbling with the keyboard and mouse, hoping to hide the offending story.

“It’s alright Louise, no one’s here, it’s a waste of your time to be sitting there doing nothing.” she nodded at him, though she was curious. Doctor Manning had hired her about a week ago, his practice was new and to be frank she didn’t understand exactly what type of specialist he was.

“Doctor Manning, can I ask you something?” She asked, annoyed with herself as the words slipped out. She knew she was going to be fired if she continued.

“You already have.” he said, chuckling, she gave him a blank look.

“I was making a joke, continue.”

“If you’re a Doctor, then why don’t you have many patients?”

He had often wondered that, but what he specialised in was not something many people knew about. All his patients had been referred to him by their GPs and he knew that the GPs were his only asset.

“I’m not a conventional doctor, what I specialise in is a very narrow field.”

“What do you specialise in?”

“I’m a genetics counsellor; I combine psychology and counselling with those who do genetic testing.”

“Oh, I see…”

He laughed a little, she didn’t see, not many people understood his job. Sometimes DNA testing could have harmful outcomes. Not only that many people didn’t trust him, they saw him as a shrink who was meant to convince them not to read the results, but that wasn’t his purpose.  His purpose was to inform, whether those people wanted him to or not, his purpose was centred on the psychological wellbeing of those people. Not only that but if the results were bad he was there to counsel them, to help them through their grief. Like Louise most people were confused about his job, so with a sigh he left the waiting room, to sit in his silent consultation room once more.