COMPASSION

Chapter 4
Doctor Parmo

The fog was getting thick and snow continued to fall on Catherine as she walked down the road in search of Dr. Parmo's Dental Office.
     
It was difficult stepping in the deep snow but Catherine was determined to find the yellow light that would lead her to Dr. Parmo. Her legs were weak and her back was a constant source of pain but Catherine had to move forward.
 
She slipped and fell face down into the snow crying out, " GOD PLEASE HELP ME...WHY ARE YOU MAKING ME SUFFER...PLEASE STOP THE PAIN AND LET ME FIND THE DOCTOR...I BEG YOU!"
 
Suddenly Catherine's Mother-In-Law Elizabeth appears at the side of the road and she is laughing at her Daughter-In-Law. Catherine calls to Elizabeth for help, "Please help me I can't get up."
 
Elizabeth continues to laugh and this only infuriates Catherine. Her newly fueled anger gives her the strength to stand up and approach her tormentor.
 
Elizabeth turns to her Daughter-In-Law and gives her a warning, "Now you will find out what it is like to lose a son!" Elizabeth then disappears into the fog. 
 
Catherine's mind flashes back to the day when Tom and Catherine told Elizabeth the couple was going to be married. The lovers are sitting in the den at Elizabeth’s house on a couch and have just shared their wonderful marriage news with Elizabeth.
 
Elizabeth stands up and shouts, "What do you mean you are getting married? You only know this girl for three months! For God's sakes, she is not even Irish! How could you marry her?"  
 
Catherine turns around and leaves the house with Tom following her. Elizabeth follows the couple and stands on her front porch and yells at her son, "You are leaving your Mother all alone...I don't even have any food in the house!"  
   
The cold weather does not al “Well that was me...well... That was me when I was twelve years old. That is when I  first started playing piano back in China."
 
"This is my first day here. I just died this morning so I am still learning the rules here."
 
"I  am sure your husband will fill you in on life as we know it in the Spiritual World. I must say Mrs. Havard you speak excellent Chinese."
 
"But I don't speak Chinese Mrs. Asaki."
 
"That is one of the rules we all first learn when we come here. No matter what language a person speaks...Chinese...French...English, we hear it in our native tongue. You are speaking English to me but I am hearing it in Chinese. We don't know why. That is just the way it is."
 
"Oh, I did not know that. Are there other rules?" Catherine asks.
 
"Yes quite a few but this is not the time to go over them. Have a seat and rest."
 
"May I call you Mrs. Asaki? Is that a Japanese name?”
 
"Yes, that is my married name. My Husband is Japanese and I am Chinese. My family name is Chan."
 
Catherine admires the red silk dress Mrs. Asaki is wearing. "That is the most beautiful dress I have ever seen. I  should know...I worked as a seamstress all my life. The material is beautiful and you wear it so well. I wanted to go to New York and become a dress designer before the War."
 
“Did you follow your dream, Mrs. Havard?”
 
“My Mother became sick when she got breast cancer. She took me out of High School to do the cooking and cleaning at home. I had 5 brothers and 5 sisters living at home. Polish families were big before the War. My Dad was a Coal Miner for many years until he got Black Lung and died.”
 
I am so sorry to hear that Mrs. Havard.
 
“Who made your dress? It’s beautiful!” Catherine asks?
 
"Thank you, Mrs. Havard. It is called a Cheongsam. I had it made by the Finest Dress Shop in Toyko.” Mrs. Asaki looks down and sees her new patient is not wearing any shoes. She kneels down and sees Catherine's feet are blue. She goes to the rear of the office and returns with a warm bowl of water and towels. She starts to apply the wet warm towels to her patient's feet.
 
"Oh, that is not necessary Mrs. Asaki." Catherine lightly protests.
“Mrs. Havard I want to get some color  back in your feet."
 
"Well thank you they do feel frozen. The warm water feels great. Thank you so much."  A nice pink color starts to return to Catherine's feet as Mrs. Asaki massages her patient's feet. She wraps the warm towel around both feet and gently rubs her inner thighs and returns to her desk.
 
“If you like after you see the Doctor I can give you a Full Body Massage. It will make you feel better.”
 
Mrs. Havard startled by the offer replies. “ Thank You but I just need to see the Doctor.” She sits back in her chair soaking her feet.
 
"Well, I guess I should start a file on you for the Doctor. In fact, I think I hear him coming." 
 
A man appears in the office carrying a golf bag. He is dressed in a white dental smock with black sunglasses. He does not notice his new patient and walks past her.
 
"Mrs. Asaki you would not believe the round of gold I just played. I never hit the ball farther in my whole life." The Doctor was in Golf Heaven over his play.
 
"Doctor you have a new patient waiting for you. This is Mrs. Havard...You were her son's Dentist. Do you remember Joe Havard?"
 
The Doctor  looks at his patient, "Did your son work for the Apple Door Company?"
 
"Yes...they make the roll-up steel doors. Joe works in the order entry department," Catherine proudly tells the Doctor.
  
"I  remember now he is a large man. He should have been a football player. He has a problem with his front tooth 8 and 9 were loose. He was worried about losing them as I recall."
  
"I  was going to see you in December  but you passed away," Catherine tells her new Doctor.
 
"You know somebody should change that phrase...PASSED AWAY... I never understood those words. Passing Away! How about he or she is starting their new life. I can tell you now I am busier in my practice here than I was in my old office. Well, let me say I am sorry to see you here but glad you came to me. What tooth is bothering you?"
"Doctor it is this bottom one."
 
"Follow me back to the surgery room," The Doctor instructs his new patient.
 
Catherine follows the Doctor until they come to a huge oak door. They enter and Catherine is surprised by what she sees: A totally white room...Floor, walls, ceiling but no chair.
 
"Doctor where is the chair ?" Catherine asks.
 
"Wait." The Doctor replies.
Slowly the floor opens up a white block of pure porcelain rises from below. The block transforms into a Molar shaped chair. 
 
"What do you think of my chair, Mrs. Havard?" The Doctor smiles broadly. 
 
"It's beautiful...I have never seen anything like it." Remarked Catherine. "Is it comfortable?"
      
"Mrs. Havard when you sit in it and you will think you are lying on a cloud. It’s actually made of Italian Marble but I had it capped with a porcelain veneer outer crown. Please sit in it."
 
Catherine sits in the chair and it conforms to her body shape. "You are right it is very comfortable. I think I could fall asleep in it."
 
"Now open your mouth and let me take a look at the tooth," The Doctor commands.
 
Catherine opens her mouth and starts to become rigid in anticipation of possible pain.
 
"I  see the problem. I will take care of it now."
"But Doctor are you going to give me something for the pain?" 
 
"Mrs. Havard please look at me. I promise you one thing. Whenever you are in my office and in my chair I give you my solemn word...YOU WILL NEVER FEEL PAIN...I swear on my Mother’s Grave."
 
The Doctor raises his right hand in the air and extends his index finger. A light appears at the end of his finger and he places it on the problem tooth. "There it's done...no more pain." The Doctor steps back to admire his work.
 
Catherine puts her hand in her mouth and rubs the tooth. "Doctor the pain is gone. I didn't feel a thing. You are wonderful!"
 
"Thank you, Mrs. Havard. I might add you are a perfect patient. Why don't you rest in the chair for now? I will come back in a few minutes." The Doctor leaves the surgery room and Catherine falls into a deep sleep. 
 
"Mrs. Asaki please mark Mrs. Havard 's chart I repaired Number 32. She is resting quietly now. Let’s keep her there until her husband
arrives."
 
"Doctor the poor woman is worried sick about her sons. She sent her husband to the home to see if he can help them." Mrs. Asaki makes a notation on the chart.
 
"Yes, I know Mrs. Asaki. This is the one horrible event we all must experience. The death of a loved one. There is not much Mr. Havard can do for his family other than watch his sons suffer and pray they get through the pain."