A
guest at the Hollywood Heights with an upset stomach requested my services. I
had barely hung up when an Englishman at the Shangri-La wanted a doctor for a
respiratory infection. These hotels were not convenient – the Hollywood Heights
is ten miles east, the Shangri-La in Santa Monica five miles west. But two
visits make for a good day, so I drove off in a pleasant mood.
As
I approached Hollywood, the phone rang. My heart sank when I learned the caller
was the Sheraton in Pasadena, twenty miles away – thirty from Santa
Monica.
Having visits pile
up, especially those with long drives, oppresses me, so this was one I’d prefer
to skip.
This guest’s
husband, who was driving to the hotel from the airport, was suffering a cough
and sore throat and wanted a doctor when he arrived. Launching my no-visit
effort, I explained that viral infections cause these symptoms in almost all
cases, so a doctor can do little except relieve symptoms. I suggested that she
discuss this with her husband when he arrived. She agreed. With that weight off
my shoulders, I continued on to the Hollywood Heights.
After finishing, I
reversed my course and headed for Santa Monica. As I neared the hotel my phone
rang. “A friend of mine found a bottle of amoxicillin,” said the Shangri-La
guest. “I think I’ll give it a try and save you the trip.”
Having lost that
visit, I immediately called the Pasadena Sheraton. The husband had arrived, and
they had decided to wait.
No comments:
Post a Comment