Chapter 4

Nurse Chang knocked lightly on the supervisor's office door, waited, and entered when she heard the order.

— Please, Dr. Is Diana here?

- No. I believe she went to the infirmary.

"Am I not fit?" Chris asked. — Is it urgent?

“It's Elias again.

"Oh my God, is he back?"

“He always comes back,” the supervisor said, “and will keep coming back as long as the authorities allow him to stay in Hong Kong. This hospital is a second home for him. In fact,” she added sadly, “I think this is actually the only home he has now. Poor man!

"When was he brought here?" Chris asked.

"He wasn't brought in," Chang replied. "He walked into the ward about half an hour ago and passed out there." How is dr. Diana, the nurse there asked me to come get you.

The supervisor pressed a button on the device on her desk and said into the microphone:

— Ask Dr. Diana go to the clinic, please. He turned to Chang and reassured her. "Okay, she won't be long now."

"Thank you," said the nurse and left.

When she was halfway down the hall, Chris caught up with her.

"How are you, my kitten?"

- I'm not yours

"And will it be one day?"

Chang thought that was the thing he wanted most, but he didn't show it, just retorted casually.

— With so many women you have, one more won't make a difference, you can do without me. Especially that charmer who lived behind you...

— Estelle ? Why, she's not after me anymore. It fell out on its own. He didn't like being put in the background because of a doctor...

“Are you referring to Dr. Diana?

Chris smiled.

- AND...

“Actually, Estelle is right, Dr. Diana is a strong rival. It would be hard to beat her.

"That is, if she wasn't made of ice." I tried to see if I could melt it a little, but I can already see it's a tough one. Last week, after the Friday aperitif, I took her to Jade Garden for dinner and it was a total bust! She was more interested in the food than me!

“Also after working here all day, you can't blame her. Have you ever calculated how many kilometers a doctor or nurses walk in this hospital every day? Much more than you guys from surgery.

"Oh, so you're on her side?"

- It is clear. And as for the glacier you say it is, I don't believe it. You need to see her with the patients. Mainly with the children.

“You know, kitten, what's wonderful about you is that you always stand up for women. I never heard you speak ill of anyone, which is not the case with Estelle , for example.

"Speaking of Estelle , who is taking her place in your life?"

"It's currently vacant." Want to apply?

- I have no time.

"Lots of invitations from other guys?" Scheduled appointments, huh?!

He wanted to let him believe so, but he was too honest for that, he didn't like to pretend.

“No, it's work. You know the routine, Chris. There are a few hours off that we take advantage of to go shopping, swim in the sea, or visit our parents. It's the same with you, except that since you're a man, you spend your free time differently, you can pick up one of these girls, in these striptease clubs on the peninsula...

— No, on the peninsula it is very expensive!

“Other places, then. In any case it is different for men. You have much more freedom and enjoy it much better.

"But what is it, kitten?" You weren't made to walk around in these nocturnal places around here... I'm talking about something else. Have you ever thought about how many romances took place between doctors and nurses in this hospital? How do you find time for that, huh?

She laughed and turned down the hall. They had already arrived at the outpatient clinic and she said goodbye to him saying she was going to go in.

“I'm going to check on Elias,” he said, by way of excuse to go after her.

Diana had been warned through the "beep" she always carried, so when Chris and Chang entered, she was already examining the patient. He was old and ragged, looking battered and tired.

"He'll be all right," Diana said over her shoulder, "he just needs to rest and eat well."

“That's why he always ends up here,” Chris explained, “and as you've probably noticed, he's not the only one. Well, since there's nothing I can do, I'd better get going.

He waved dismissively at Diana and smiled warmly at Chang before leaving.

Diana only looked at the old man for a few moments; that it was just skin and bones, then he turned to the ambulatory nurse and asked:

"Does anyone know who he is?"

To her surprise, she heard Jonathan's voice answer.

“We call him Elijah because with that beard and that big hair he looks like a prophet from the Bible, don't you think? He says he forgot his name a long time ago. Jonathan looked at the old man with compassion. "I heard he was here again and I wanted to see him." The only thing we can do for him is feed him, let him rest, then send him back to his dark life.

— But what is an Englishman, in this state, doing here in Hong Kong? The city is a British Protectorate, he could seek help!

“I think pride keeps you from doing that, or maybe fear, I don't know. He probably knows he would be sent back to England and I don't think that's what he wants.

— You mean he prefers to live here in this misery than in his homeland under the care of Social Assistance?

“More or less. And he's not the only one. Hong Kong enters our blood, like a disease. In addition to seeing tourists and residents, a large percentage of our patients are people who show up more or less regularly. I have interesting cases in our file, if you want you can take a look. It will serve to better know the place and the people with whom you will deal.

She accepted right away and accompanied him to his office. It was the first time he had been back there since the day of his arrival, and the scene from that day came back to him. Jonathan had made it clear that he didn't want her there, and now he was helpfully opening the file and pointing out the interesting stories.

“Look at Elias, for example, all we know about him is that he's an artist, but we haven't found out what kind of artist. We don't know if he was a painter, a sculptor... He must have come here many years ago and he's very adept at not leaving any traces when he leaves the hospital. Probably moves from one miserable little room to another, expelled for non-payment... Poor man!

“This time the nurse got him to give her an address before he passed out.

“It's something, but I think he was evicted and they must have kept what he owned as payment for the rent.

"But couldn't he have some sort of help?"

'Yes, he could, but men like Elias are too proud to accept charity, that's how he sees Social Services; besides, as I told you, it would mean being sent back to England, which he no longer considers his homeland. His homeland is Hong Kong. Ah, here's another case…' He took another file from the filing cabinet and placed it on the table.

Diana opened it eagerly. The data referred to a man from Yorkshire who had arrived in Hong Kong, working in a travel agency. Shortly after, the agency closed and the young man went from one job to another, without having anything definitive, but he didn't mind that as long as he could remain in Hong Kong.

"You preferred this life of obscurity here to trying to succeed elsewhere," Jonathan explained. “After all, he got old, his health failed, and he ended up in Kinsale . That was when the superintendent was still my father. The Social Welfare Service was informed and contacted his relatives in England, discovering that they were poor and unable to pay his return ticket. As soon as he recovered and was fit to travel, Social Services arranged for him to come back and everyone thought they would never see him again. But that's not what happened. Back in England he got a job on a ship that was coming here and as soon as the ship docked here he disappeared around town. And every time he fell through the streets he was sent back, he always found a way to get back to Hong Kong, until he ended up dying of old age in Kinsale , but happy to be here.

Diana picked up another folder and read a similar story. And several others, from English widows, poor people who received government pensions that were barely enough to survive.

“They're always in the tea rooms at the Peninsula Hotel, or at the Mandarin. Not that they live there, because the money is not enough for that. They live in rented rooms, but insist on maintaining their dignity by going to these fancy places, where they are always treated with respect and consideration, even though they are not rich. They always try to keep their clothes well cared for, despite not being expensive. And they stay there killing time until it's time to go back to the poor and lonely room, in some alley. But they prefer to remain here, because they have already taken root and England has become a strange land for them. With age, it becomes more difficult to change habits... And in the end, they all end up here, sick or senile.

—But what about these young ones? Diana asked, flipping through another folder.

“Oh, the young women! Those are the biggest problem. We can still care for and help the elderly, but the young women won't let us do that. These are girls who came here as housekeepers, revue or cabaret dancers, or even secretaries. Hong Kong seduces them and they fall into the trap. While working here you will be amazed at the number of girls, of all nationalities, who end up here and refuse to return to their homelands. Nightclubs, nightclubs, discotheques and even massage parlors are full of them, this while they are young and still attract men.

"And then what happens?"

Jonathan shrugged his shoulders in a desolate, pitying gesture.

“After that, the lucky ones get jobs as cashiers in bars or things like that. That's the tragic side of Hong Kong, but it's not the predominant one. There are also girls called “escorts”. They work for agencies that provide company for one night to businessmen or wealthy gentlemen, who pay a very expensive fee in advance. , they talk about any subject and speak several languages. In addition , they are great listeners, elegant, refined and beautiful. When they like the client, sometimes they stay with him longer than he was paid. If they don't want to, nobody can force them and if the client insists, he/she will be blacklisted by the agency and will no longer be able to use her services. These girls know how to take care of themselves very well and the men know that the relationship is purely professional. They stay with us because they are being paid for it. But in a way a purchased company is always unsatisfactory...

He said, "Stay with us." Had he ever asked any of these girls? Diana began to consider him in another light. Was it possible that he, with all that appearance of coldness, felt lonely and needed to resort to it?

Jonathan gathered the folders and put them in the filing cabinets.

“ Kinsale was founded to serve people like old Elias. The initial intention was to only receive English patients, but now, as long as there are vacant beds, we do not refuse treatment to anyone, regardless of their nationality. Our maternity hospital, for example, has become quite popular among Chinese people. Several families only allow their wives to give birth here. Families like the Yengtoh 's ...

— The dressmakers?

Yengtoh children were born here!... The supervisor will be able to better tell you this story and tell you how women in labor show their gratitude, although I'm against it. I think our obligation here is to take care of people, without expecting retribution or privileges. I insist that the medical care at this hospital is the best.

Then, to Diana's surprise, Jonathan asked how well she was settling in and added that he hoped she was enjoying it. She couldn't help but smile in satisfaction. For a man who'd said he didn't want her around, that was a big step forward.

Jonathan looked at her differently, with interest. Diana looked beautiful when she smiled, and even he, with all his grudge against women, couldn't help noticing that. Was what her father had said about the girl true? Was she anything more than a pretty woman in a white apron?

— And how do you like Hong Kong? - he asked.

"I haven't had a chance to get to know you very well yet."

To her amazement Jonathan laughed and his face was completely transformed, the coldness, the distant air, the reserve... everything disappeared as if by magic: And this new image moved Diana! For the first time since breaking up with Clive , she felt her body respond to the call of a male presence and a wave of sympathy invaded her heart.

“Then we need to fix this flaw immediately. You've been so busy since you arrived that I'm sorry for keeping you so...

— Well, Doctor, I apologize. Didn't mean it. I came here to work.

He gave her a deep look that she didn't know how to interpret, couldn't know that he was remembering his father's advice and looking at her as he really should... without prejudice and rancor. And what he discovered amazed him. I couldn't stop looking at her anymore.

In a sudden movement Jonathan turned and opened the door for Diana. And as she walked past him, Jonathan noticed the sheen of her hair and wanted to touch it. They looked so soft! With an effort he suppressed the impulse to reach out his hand and watched her walk away; until she disappeared down the hall. Then he returned to the office.

For some time he looked out the window. He saw the roof of the Lee Municipal Theater and remembered that preparations had already begun for the annual Festival of the Arts, to which orchestras from all over the world were coming, as well as theater and ballet groups. He still hadn't looked at this year's program, although there was one on his desk. But as usual, he would buy tickets to go with his father and a few guests. Those were the only two occasions he was away from the hospital for longer.

Involuntarily, he began to wonder whether Diana liked classical music like he did or not. Or, who knows, if he preferred ballet or theater... When he realized what subject he was thinking about, he was so amazed that he turned away from the window abruptly and returned to his work with some effort.

Strange, but it's been a long, long time since he needed to make an effort to concentrate on what he was doing...