Chapter 16: The Complaint

The vascular chief had a small office with a big window and a single orchid he kept alive out of spite.

He read the complaint aloud in the voice of a man reading a menu he didn't like.

"Anonymous," he said. "Alleges favoritism. Alleges the Chief of Surgery steered the best trauma cases to a fellow he is, ah, involved with."

"I know," I said.

"It's the third such letter the program office has received since Monday. Same wording."

"Pembrey?"

"I have no proof of that and I'd thank you not to say it again in this room."

"Yes, sir."

"I read every note you've written this year," he said.

"You've done fourteen cases as the lead."

"Fourteen.

"Which of those, exactly, was handed to you?"

"None of them."

"Quite. I'll say so."

"Thank you."

"Don't thank me. Go and find Hartmann, because he is about to do something stupid."

I found him at the board in the corridor outside the operating rooms.

He had a marker in his hand, and he was erasing his own name from the schedule.

Next to every case I was on that week, there was a clean white gap.

"What are you doing?"

"Removing myself."

"From my cases?"

"From every case you are on," he said, quietly. "Until the review ends."

"Kurt, you are the best teacher in this building."

"Which is exactly why a letter like that sticks."

"It's one anonymous letter."

"It's three, and it will be thirty. If I am not in the room, no one can say I handed you anything."

"I want you in the room!"

"I know."

"I want to learn from you!"