Chapter 4

           GillianBoardmanwasconsideredprofessionallycompetentasanurse;shewasjudgedcompetentinwiderfieldsbythebachelorinternesandshewasjudgedharshlybysomeotherwomen.Therewasnoharminherandherhobbywasmen.WhenthegrapevinecarriedthewordthattherewasapatientinspecialsuiteK-12whohadneverlaideyesonawomaninhislife,shedidnotbelieveit.Whendetailedexplanationconvincedher,sheresolvedtoremedyit.ShewentondutythatdayasfloorsupervisorinthewingwhereSmithwashoused.Assoonaspossibleshewenttopayacallonthestrangepatient.

           Sheknewofthe"NoFemaleVisitors"ruleand,whileshedidnotconsiderherselftobeavisitorofanysort,shesailedonpastthemarineguardswithoutattemptingtousethedoortheyguarded-marines,shehadfound,hadastuffyhabitofconstruingtheirordersliterally.Insteadshewentintotheadjacentwatchroom.Dr."Tad"Thaddeuswasondutytherealone.

           Helookedup."Well,ifitain’t’Dimples!’Hi,honey,whatbringsyouhere?"

           Shesatonthecornerofhisdeskandreachedforhiscigarettes."’MissDimples,’toyou,chum;I’monduty.Thiscallispartofmyrounds.Whataboutyourpatient?"

           "Don’tworryyourfuzzyheadabouthim,honeychile;he’snotyourresponsibility.Seeyourorderbook."

           "Ireadit.Iwanttohavealookathim."

           "Inoneword-no."

           "Oh,Tad,don’tgoregulationonme.Iknowyou."

           Hegazedthoughtfullyathisnails."EverworkedforDoctorNelson?"

           "No.