A Careless Man

twenty three

"I know that I've only been back to work for a couple weeks now but I'd like to hand in my resignation letter."

It was middle of the afternoon. Harry's lunch break was about to end, and his healing bones were aching from standing up all day. He wouldn't have had it any other way though. He missed working with a burning passion.

"What? Why? You called this meeting to quit?" Mr. Locklen, Harry's manager couldn't believe what he was hearing. He hired him straight out of med school, took a whim on a boy with a strong head on his shoulders.

The meeting room was quiet as they looked back and forth at each other. Harry inhaled air like it was from a cigarette, and let it out with caution. "You took a chance on me Mr. Locklen and for that I am greatful. Without you I wouldn't have made a name for myself, that much I know, but I can't work here anymore."

"Was it the staff? The facility? I make sure that this hospital runs to the best of its ability for you, Harry. You are the best ER surgeon we've ever had."

"I know that. I know you do. It's no ones fault."

Harry couldn't piece his thoughts together the way he usually could. "Mr. Locklen, if I am being completely honest with you..."

"That's all I've ever asked."

"I am lost. More lost then I've ever been. When you hired me years ago, I was narcissistic, confident, articulate, determined. I knew that I was good, and I was a damn asshole for it."

"That's why I liked you. I never worried that you couldn't handle things."

"I know that, and I know I am good at what I do, but after my accident, and other circumstances I think I have to be on my own for a bit. I don't think the narcissistic asshole is really me."

"So what now Harry? You're going to go off? Find yourself? Live in the jungle until a voice in the winds tells you, you're no longer a prick?"

Harry couldn't tell his mentor that a girl did all of this. That because of her, he sees something in himself that wasn't there before. That because of her he no longer accepts the unknown of the future, but now is dying to understand it. He wants more out of everything. His careful, calculated, scheduled life is now tasteless on his tongue.

"I want to open my own clinic." The words were out in the air before they were able to settle in his brain. "I want to help families, athletes, and pregnant woman. I want to help anyone who can't afford the cost of a hospital visit. I want the clinic to be in the city, maybe the top floor of the building. I want there to be fancy chairs, and a receptionist that welcomes them with coffee and a blanket to hold as they wait. I want there to be doctors that care for the patients, not the doctors that just throw some prescriptions at you and send you off. I want broken ankles, miscarriages, bipolar disorders and everything in between to be treated with care because to those patients that's the most important issue they have. It should mean something. And...and.. I want Anna to work along side me...."

"Who's Anna?" Mr. Locklen was trying to understand the words rambling from his protege's mouth, but he couldn't keep up. This madness wasn't like Harry, he wanted him here, at his hospital, taking care of his patients, and eating lunch in his lunch room.

"I'm sorry Mr. Locklen, but before right now I didn't know this is what I wanted, and now I do, and I have to do something about it."

"Harry wait, you're not thinking right. This is absurd. Where will you get the money? Investors? Equipment?"

Harry was out from his seat, walking in a frenzy to the door. "You have taught me so much Mr. Locklen and once this is all done I'll owe it all to you."

Harry closed the door behind him. Racing to his office he threw everything into bins, making sure to leave nothing behind.

He first needed to find the right space. Like Mr.Locklen said, he needed investors, and equipment. He needed people on his side. And he needed Anna.

III

I'm an asshole for not updating, but The real ass plot starts here. I am so excited. I have everything planned you have no idea what is going to happen.

if i see tons of comments on this update telling me about how you guys like harry's character so far, and what you want to see happen next i'll update tomorrow!