"Hey Fras." Andy greeted me as he sat on the couch when I got home from work.
"Good evening."
"What's up with you?"
"What do you mean?" I answered, unaware of anything 'up' with me? I was fine. More than fine.
"Look at yourself. You've got big grin on your face…. You met a girl, didn't you?!"
I couldn't keep it in. "Yes I did."
"Is she pretty?"
"Pretty! Pretty's an' understatement! She's gorgeous! She's smart!…"
"So you've finally got a woman, huh?"
"What do you mean? Finally?! I've had plenty of girlfriends."
"Maybe, but not for a long time."
"True. But anyway, I'm not dating her."
"You're not? It seems to me you really like this girl, and you didn't ask her out?!…"
"I couldn't. She came to me for help, as a doctor. She's a new patient."
"Oh." Andy's face dropped. As did my spirits.
"I'm sorry Fras. Isn't there anything you can do about it?"
"Like what?" I questioned, as I joined him on the couch.
"Well…. Can't you explain to her that you'd like to see her, not as a patient, and that the only way to do that is to refer her to one of the other Doctors'?" Andy looked pleased with his 'fantastic' idea.
"I don't have to explain psychiatric ethics to her. She's studying Psychology. "
"Well there you go. She'll understand."
"That's all well and good Andy, but I'm treating her for free."
"What?" He asked, confused.
"She can't afford to pay for therapy as she's studying for three degrees. One of which is her MD. Maybe she's in your class?"
"Maybe. What's her name?"
"Lilith Sternin."
"Sternin…." Andy looked thoughtful. "Oh! She has dark hair right? Always pulled back?"
"Well, it was pulled back today. But what does that have to do with..?"
"I've never seen her with it down!" He replied. "Which is a good thing for me as I sit behind her, and that means I can copy her notes without her hair restricting my view."
"Andy!"
"I'm just kidding. I've only copied her a few times." He chuckled. "Seriously. She's a smart girl, she's exactly what you've been looking for. And as your friend, I'd really like to see you happy. So you ever need any help..?"
"Thanks. I think I'll just find out why she needs my help tomorrow, and if it's a small problem, I can treat her then ask her out later." I suggested.
"Maybe that's the best way to go."
"Good evening."
"What's up with you?"
"What do you mean?" I answered, unaware of anything 'up' with me? I was fine. More than fine.
"Look at yourself. You've got big grin on your face…. You met a girl, didn't you?!"
I couldn't keep it in. "Yes I did."
"Is she pretty?"
"Pretty! Pretty's an' understatement! She's gorgeous! She's smart!…"
"So you've finally got a woman, huh?"
"What do you mean? Finally?! I've had plenty of girlfriends."
"Maybe, but not for a long time."
"True. But anyway, I'm not dating her."
"You're not? It seems to me you really like this girl, and you didn't ask her out?!…"
"I couldn't. She came to me for help, as a doctor. She's a new patient."
"Oh." Andy's face dropped. As did my spirits.
"I'm sorry Fras. Isn't there anything you can do about it?"
"Like what?" I questioned, as I joined him on the couch.
"Well…. Can't you explain to her that you'd like to see her, not as a patient, and that the only way to do that is to refer her to one of the other Doctors'?" Andy looked pleased with his 'fantastic' idea.
"I don't have to explain psychiatric ethics to her. She's studying Psychology. "
"Well there you go. She'll understand."
"That's all well and good Andy, but I'm treating her for free."
"What?" He asked, confused.
"She can't afford to pay for therapy as she's studying for three degrees. One of which is her MD. Maybe she's in your class?"
"Maybe. What's her name?"
"Lilith Sternin."
"Sternin…." Andy looked thoughtful. "Oh! She has dark hair right? Always pulled back?"
"Well, it was pulled back today. But what does that have to do with..?"
"I've never seen her with it down!" He replied. "Which is a good thing for me as I sit behind her, and that means I can copy her notes without her hair restricting my view."
"Andy!"
"I'm just kidding. I've only copied her a few times." He chuckled. "Seriously. She's a smart girl, she's exactly what you've been looking for. And as your friend, I'd really like to see you happy. So you ever need any help..?"
"Thanks. I think I'll just find out why she needs my help tomorrow, and if it's a small problem, I can treat her then ask her out later." I suggested.
"Maybe that's the best way to go."