Northfield Chapter 9

The X-ray Van and Being So Tremendous

At first, Shelagh wasn't pleased when she was told to accompany Doctor Turner to the Board of Health in their municipality. There were signs of tuberculosis spreading fast in Poplar, and they need to make a concerted effort to express the concern of the medical professionals in order to get a much needed X-ray Van to make rounds in Poplar. She felt awkward because Jennifer Turner had died of tuberculosis (or so she had been told, Doctor Turner had not opened up on the subject.) There were other reasons for awkwardness, too, but she tried hard not to think of those reasons while she was sitting in his car, on their way to the Board of Health.

The hearing before the Board was an exciting experience. Doctor Turner became very eloquent on the topic of the quickly escalating tuberculosis situation and on how it could be prevented if they only had the means. When the officials seemed not to get his point, she could not help herself but joined in to describe the danger tuberculosis presented to the industries and business ventures in Poplar. It seemed that her point of financial losses brought on by losing a skilled workforce was what made the Board reconsider the appeal. The board promised an answer by the next day. She felt as if they had been in a magnificent battle together and had achieved a splendid victory.

At the conclusion of the hearing, Doctor Turner strode in the corridor so fast that Shelagh was left behind. Yet when she arrived at the lounge, there he was, standing, waiting for her, puffing a little. He turned to look at her.

"Congratulations, Doctor Turner. You were really quite tremendous." Shelagh's eyes were shining. She could not hide her admiration.

Doctor Turner grinned. "As were you, Nurse."

Shelagh could have stayed there for an eternity looking at his pleasantly surprised, glowing face, but she decided it was wise to move on. She left rapidly, and he followed her after a moment, having stood in the lounge as if trying to capture what had happened.

The X-ray Van arrived in Poplar the next week. It was a great day in the medical history of the Poplar area. All the nurses and nuns helped Doctor Turner and Doctor MacGuinness with the screenings. Close to 500 Poplar residents were screened over two days and about 40 suspicious cases were referred to the London for further examination.

On the evening of the second day, both the Doctors had been invited to Nonnatus House by Sister Evangelina, for a "celebratory Horlicks." That was the code name for the sherry parties the Sisters and Nurses sometimes held, and Doctor Turner was familiar with the concept. He arrived with a large bottle of whisky for the party. The atmosphere was cheerful and a true relief and satisfaction filled the hearts of the participants.

Shelagh, however, was a somewhat reluctant party-guest. She had a thing or two occupying her mind. She observed the party from a vantage point in the farthest corner of the living room, behind the coffee table.

She saw Doctor Turner in an intensive conversation with Nurse Lee, both sitting on the couch. Jenny was truly pretty, she thought. She was dark and had those starry eyes. Trixie was sitting in the arm chair talking to Doctor MacGuinness: the man was fair-headed and lively-minded, with a very pleasing manner. When Doctor MacGuinnes vanished in the dining hall, Trixie shifted her focus to Doctor Turner and Jenny. She didn't seem happy to be left out of their conversation: she deliberately took the seat between them. Doctor Turner seemed amused by this ambush. Jenny made her move next. She rose, offered her hand to the Doctor, and pulled him up, leading the reluctant man to the piano. Jenny sat down at the piano and started to play the first beats of the Irish song Carrickfergus.* Doctor Turner had nearly given in, still making feeble resistance: "No, no, I won't sing. Nurse Franklin is a much better singer." Trixie was making gestures of straight denial and was heard to whisper theatrically: "He is just being a diva. He enjoys the attention." Shelagh saw Doctor Turner looking at Trixie seriously, like he was making an assessment of how far this game could be played. Then he sighed. "All right. I will sing, but you must all join in on the second verse."

The beautiful words and tones of Carrickfergus filled the room. Doctor Turner had a pleasing voice, dark and not too smooth. People started to gather around piano to join in the singing.

"If I could find me a handsome boatman to ferry me over to my love and die." Shelagh felt overcome by her emotions and she left the house, retreating to the garden.

Doctor Turner's voice could be heard even there but more distant. She had trouble breathing and there were tears in her eyes. Something other than the song was bothering her. She had heard some odd gossip regarding Doctor Turner today. It was probably total rubbish, but….

While she had been waiting in that X-ray Van for the two doctors to arrive back from their short lunch break, she had heard two men discussing Doctor Turner outside.

"That Doctor Turner, didn't his wife die of tuberculosis? And now he knows how to cure it? I wouldn't be so sure."

The other man laughed with a hint of malice. "You know what they say: the first time is an accident, the second time is a tragedy, a third time is just carelessness. Ladies die around that man."

"What d'ya mean?"

"Only that I wouldn't trust these head doctors to inspect my lungs. They are nuts themselves, I say. Fortunately there is that other Doctor."

Shelagh was familiar with the slander people talked of psychiatrists and psychiatry. That was not new to her. Yet she was disturbed by this talk. She knew that in time she would forget it; that she could make herself ignore it. She was just too sensitive. She needed to toughen up.

Coming out of her musings, Shelagh strained her ears. It seemed that Trixie had now taken the lead, as her voice could be heard above all others from the living room.

Then she heard a voice nearby: "Nurse Mannion. The one that got away."

Shelagh hadn't heard footsteps, yet there he was, Doctor Turner, smoking a cigarette and taking a measurement of her in the same way she had seen him look at Trixie earlier.

Before she could respond, he offered her his cigarette. "Please, take a puff. " Relieved by a chance to act rather than speak, she obliged and took a puff.

He took the cigarette back, offering her a fresh one from his case. "Take one, please"

"No."

"Why not?"

"Because it would make me a smoker."

He gave a snort of delight. "Ah. Principles again."

After some silence he asked: "Why didn't you come to talk to me up there?"

"There was no need." She paused. "Or chance."

"Oh, Shelagh, chances come to those who rise up to meet them. Not to the person sitting in the corner of the room." He paused as well. "And after being so tremendous…"

She felt a chill run up her spine. He had dropped the Mannion and was calling her by her given name. To shed the feeling, she quickly quipped: "It was a tremendous day for those patients who got their diagnosis today."

"Do not change the subject."

"This is the subject."

"Are you so sure of that?" He came very close to her, leaning against the wall beside her, his head close to her head.

She took a step aside and raised her head, her boldness rising in her, as it always did when teased.

"I know only a part of Carrickfergus. The first verse."

"Would you like to learn the whole song? 'I'm drunk today and seldom sober.' " He had a wry smile. His voice was trembling, betraying passion. Yet she could feel his sadness underneath it. "But to ferry me over…."

This was unbearable. She wasn't sure how drunk he was. He offered her another puff. She declined it and fled inside.

XXXXXX

The next morning, Shelagh met a rueful Doctor Turner at the surgery. He swallowed.

"I am sorry for last night. It was unforgivable. I was rather drunk."

He was fidgeting his thumb against his index finger nervously and his eyes were downcast."I didn't mean to spoil your day, you are entitled to professional satisfaction."

"Yes. You, too, Doctor, you should be proud of the screenings. Let us not spoil that good thing because of some silliness. And I do not know who decides what is forgivable and unforgivable."

"Indeed. Sometimes there is a grain of truth in silliness. In Vino Veritas. But I digress. Good day to you."

Then he turned on his heels and left.

* The song Carrickfergus:

I wish I was in Carrickfergus, only for nights in Ballygran.

I would swim over the deepest ocean, the deepest ocean for my love to find,

But the sea is wide and I can't swim over, neither have I wings to fly.

If I could find me a handsome boatman to ferry me over to my love and die.

My childhood days bring back sad reflections of happy times spent so long ago.

My boyhood friends and my own relations have all passed on now like the melting snow,

But I'll spend my days in endless roaming; soft is the grass, my bed is free.

Ah, to be back now in Carrickfergus on that long road down to the salty sea.

And in Kilkenny it is reported there are marble stones as black as any ink.

With gold and silver I would support her, but I'll sing no more now till I get a drink.

I'm drunk today and I'm seldom sober, a handsome rover from town to town.

Oh, but I'm sick now. And, my days are numbered, so come ye young men and lay me down.