Fort Benning, Early Tuesday Evening
Seely wanted to be anywhere but here. Specifically he wanted to be in the mess with his dinner, but anywhere at all would have been good. Unfortunately, he was stuck sitting and waiting.
Before too much longer, a man in a white coat came into the room. "Good evening, Private," he checked his clipboard "Booth. Sorry for keeping you waiting but the work backs up this time of month."
"That's okay, Doc," Seely replied, attempting to keep the nervousness out of his voice.
It didn't work was well as he'd hoped, given that the next words out of the doctors mouth were "Don't worry, it's just a routine medical." The doctor smiled reassuringly. "It'll be over and done with just like that."
And for the most part it was, Seely standing, staring, and coughing when told. He even managed not to flinch as the cold metal of the stethoscope slid over his chest, under his t-shirt.
He was on the verge of relaxing, thinking he was in the clear when the doctor asked him to take off his shirt, an apologetic smile on his face. Pinch test. Just one of those things he had to check. He obviously didn't need it, but regulations, what could you do.
Reluctantly, Seely peeled off his shirt, avoiding eye contact with the doctor, whose only reaction was to raise his eyebrows slightly and ask "What have you been doing with yourself?"
"I fell down some stairs." The lie came easily, automatically, to his lips. "It's not serious, just bruises."
"I think I'll be the judge of that," the doctor replied, his tone non-committal as he examined Seely's torso. Eventually he scribbled something on his pad, tore it off and handed to him.
"Get that filled," he said, in that same non-committal tone. "I'll make another appointment for you."
"Right," Seely nodded, deciding to get out of there rather than argue against needing another appointment.
"Try not to fall down any more stairs in the meantime, Private Booth."
Before too much longer, a man in a white coat came into the room. "Good evening, Private," he checked his clipboard "Booth. Sorry for keeping you waiting but the work backs up this time of month."
"That's okay, Doc," Seely replied, attempting to keep the nervousness out of his voice.
It didn't work was well as he'd hoped, given that the next words out of the doctors mouth were "Don't worry, it's just a routine medical." The doctor smiled reassuringly. "It'll be over and done with just like that."
And for the most part it was, Seely standing, staring, and coughing when told. He even managed not to flinch as the cold metal of the stethoscope slid over his chest, under his t-shirt.
He was on the verge of relaxing, thinking he was in the clear when the doctor asked him to take off his shirt, an apologetic smile on his face. Pinch test. Just one of those things he had to check. He obviously didn't need it, but regulations, what could you do.
Reluctantly, Seely peeled off his shirt, avoiding eye contact with the doctor, whose only reaction was to raise his eyebrows slightly and ask "What have you been doing with yourself?"
"I fell down some stairs." The lie came easily, automatically, to his lips. "It's not serious, just bruises."
"I think I'll be the judge of that," the doctor replied, his tone non-committal as he examined Seely's torso. Eventually he scribbled something on his pad, tore it off and handed to him.
"Get that filled," he said, in that same non-committal tone. "I'll make another appointment for you."
"Right," Seely nodded, deciding to get out of there rather than argue against needing another appointment.
"Try not to fall down any more stairs in the meantime, Private Booth."