On Ahmed's Side.
The drive to the suburb would take about forty minutes, Ahmed decided to leave by 1 PM because he wanted to check on Dr. Ephraim at the Government Hospital, who refused to treat his patient, but insisted on a Police Report. His intention was simple – has he learned a lesson? If yes, they will be friends, if no, he will continue to mentor him the hard way until he repents, and lives up to his professional ethics, and becomes an ambassador of professionalism. He would also stop by and check on Conquer, the Lay About.
They got to the hospital, and parked in the visitors' car park. He asked the driver of the coaster bus to park outside the hospital premises and wait inside the bus. When Ahmed's driver parked the car, the security guard on duty was able to recognize it, and stood up with a start.
“Come with me, Edwin,” Ahmed requested. Edwin, who was in the back seat with him, opened the door and came down almost at the same time with him. Nevertheless, he was dressed in the casual wear he wore the other day – short sleeve shirt and trousers. On the other hand, Edwin was in his corporate office wear – black suit with leather shoes. It was easy to recognize him as the man in the jingle of the Cherry Fields Oil and Gas Group.
Howbeit, the security guard was too frightened to think well, so he ran to the hospital lobby, and informed the nurses. They happen to be the same set of nurses, who were on duty three days ago. Now, the nurses were as scared as a fish trapped in a plastic bag.
“Did you say they were two?” One of the nurses asked. Before the security guard could respond, he heard a voice that he was so familiar with. The voice he will never forget, rushing. Then, Ahmed greeted, and inquired at once, “Good day nurses. I would love to know, is my friend on call today? I would like to see him.”
“Good day Sir. Yes. But he is with a patient, and you may not see him now.”
Meanwhile, the nervous nurse was not sure whether the response he gave was expedient. Then, the door of the doctor's office opened, and a patient walked out and shut the door.
“Edwin, let's go,” Ahmed said when he felt that the doctor's office was free, and they moved right on to the doctor's office. Then, the doctor, who thought that it was the next patient who walked in, was unhappy. Without looking up from his desk where he was writing, he complained in his repulsive nature, “I can't remember calling for the next patient.”
“Take your seat, Edwin," Ahmed ordered. The doctor was startled at the voice, and he looked up. His scared eyes met the domineering eyes of a known foe. Then, Ahmed greeted, “Good day, doctor.”
“Good afternoon doctor.”
Edwin, who was oblivious to the secret war between the two, greeted, and took his seat. Then, the doctor gave a cold response, “Good day.”
'This doctor must be arrogant. How can he welcome his friend nonchalantly?' Edwin thought. If only he knew what Ahmed meant when he said, is my friend on call today?
Nevertheless, an awkward silence enveloped the office as the doctor and Ahmed engaged in staring context. After a few minutes, Ahmed broke the silence.
“How are you?” he asked the way a teacher would ask a pupil caught in truancy. The doctor should be older than Ahmed by two or three years. Now, he cowered before his junior because of guilt.
“Fine.”
“How did you get the Police Report before you were treated?”
At that point, the doctor was short of words. The weight of his offense stared at him right in the face, and he went into a deep thought.
'How would a patient who is one foot in the grave get a police report?'
'Is it not inhumane to ask a Good Samaritan who had gone out of his or her way to help an accident or a robbery victim to go through the rigorous process of getting a police report?'
'What if my colleagues had waited for a police report before treating me, I would have been dead. My wife would have been a widow and my children fatherless.'
While he pondered, his eyes became moist, and he tried hard to stop the tears, but it was too late. Instantly, he began tearing. Ahmed, who did not believe that the shedding of tears was synonymous with repentance, was looking at him with an expressionless face. Now, Edwin looked away from the doctor and looked at Ahmed, who was looking at the doctor with all his military might, and was confused. Then, the doctor found his bearing and spoke, “I was wrong. I was being inhumane. I apologize for neglecting your patient.”
Ahmed, who was unfazed with what he termed the crocodile tears, pointed out, “You have not answered my question. How did you get the Police Report before you were treated? I am eager to learn from you, so I can teach my friends and relations.”
The stunned doctor looked at Ahmed, who was not rushing. He deliberately left the office ahead of his scheduled time with the Street Youths, so he gave him all the time to think of answers to his questions. Now, Edwin was beginning to catch a glimpse of the situation, 'My friend indeed. When did Ahmed begin to make friends?' He mocked.
“I didn't get any police report,” the doctor responded shyly.
“Were you treated by a doctor?”
“Yes.”
“Why did you allow a doctor to treat you without a police report?”
When he did not get a response from the doctor, he continued with his interrogation, “Did the medical system in Nigeria collapse because a patient was treated without a police report?”
The doctor, who was dumb stricken, only gaped at him. Then, he stood up, and turned to Edwin, without waiting for the doctor's response.
“Let's go, Edwin,”
Now, Edwin, who had gotten the true picture of the situation, stood up immediately, and they headed for the door. Then, the doctor's voice interrupted their movement, and they stopped suddenly.
“Excuse me.”
They turned at once, and looked at him without a word from them. Then, he requested, “May I know who you are?”