'…so anyway, it turned out that the pipes were making that banging sound because the elderly couple upstairs were just…well…banging! I don't know who was more embarrassed - me or the hugely expensive emergency plumber I called out!'.

The canteen attendant glanced over at the only two people left from lunch as they fell about in fits of laughter. He was used to seeing doctors in various emotional states passing through: having just lost a patient after endless hours of surgery, exhausted after a double shift, elated at having secured a more prestigious position in the hospital - but these two, joking and giggling like they hadn't a care in the world, were different. He had observed that generally members of the medical profession were sombre, serious people (whilst still in the hospital, at least), and the two of them laughing together, having a conversation entirely devoid of medical mumbo-jumbo, was a rare and refreshing sight.

At the table, the two doctors gradually fell silent.

'Thanks, Doug' said Susan, brightly.

'For what? A suspicious-looking reheated cheese burger?'.

'For cheering me up. I've had such a lousy day…'

'Which we agreed we wouldn't talk about'.

'…but it's not turning out so lousy after all. Thanks to you.'

Doug couldn't help but grin.

'In fact, as long as I get through the rest of this shift, get home in time for my favourite show and the pizza guy brings what I actually ordered, it'll have been one of my best days in a long time.'

The thought of Susan spending the night alone watching TV and picking anchovies off the wrong pizza somehow made Doug feel sad. It had occurred to him earlier, when taking a mental inventory of all the women at the hospital whom there was a remote possibility would allow him to take to this charity thing tonight, that Susan didn't completely loathe him. But he had been worried that she might construe it as a date, and he wasn't sure that that was something he, or indeed she, wanted. Taking the time to think about it, he had decided that it would be awkward and weird, like taking his sister or something. No, it was just too complicated. Besides, she might turn him down. But in that instant these rational, well thought out points disappeared from his mind and all he could feel was, well…

'Susan, I..'

'Sorry, hold on' she removed her beeper from her belt - she was needed downstairs.

'I've gotta go. Thanks for the lunch - and the company. See you down there'.

And with that she was gone.

Even though he hadn't got a chance to ask her, even though he didn't know whether she would've gone or not, Doug suddenly felt rejected.

'That's doctors for you pal: always dashing off to the next sorry case and leaving a mess behind them for someone else to clear up'. Doug glared at the canteen assistant, who was now clearing away the remains of Susan's lunch. At this moment he needed pop psychology like he needed a hole in the head. Even if it happened to be true.

It was over three hours later when he saw her next. It had been a busy afternoon, but there had been remarkably few paediatric cases and Doug had found himself being beaten four times in a row at some computer game by Jerry. Naturally, Jerry was very proud of his achievement, but it just made Doug feel like an even bigger loser.

'Well, I guess I'd better go and catch up on some paperwork' announced Doug as he stood up and turned to walk away.

'Or what d'ya say to making this interesting?' arrogantly, Jerry raised his eyebrow as he presented this challenge, which he thought made him look like James Bond. In reality, it made him look constipated.

'How interesting?' Doug turned on his heels.

'Very. If you win, you can have my Bulls tickets for the game tomorrow'.

'And if you win?'

'Then Cinderella will go to the ball tonight'.

'You'd rather go to a ball than a Bulls game?'

'I have a date tonight but I'm a bit strapped for cash. It's either an all-expenses paid fairytale evening or a burger at Doc's'.

By this point in the day Doug would be glad to be rid of the tickets - he had decided not to go to the ball anyway, but the humiliation of not finding a date would be far more embarrassing than losing the tickets in a stupid bet. And if he did win, he would have Bulls tickets to cheer him up. It was a win-win situation.

'Deal' agreed Doug as he returned to his chair. The pair shook hands then focused their attention on the screen as they waited for the game to begin. As Haleh arrived at the admit desk, they began frantically pressing buttons, their faces contorted with concentration.

'Who's winning?' she asked Randy, who was reading a magazine.

'I am' the pair said in unison.