“You haven’t been home in over a week,” Kit reminded her. “I’ll bet no one has. At least I could sit with a patient and holler for help if they needed a nurse so that someone could go to bed.”
“That’s an idea,” Jean said. “Why don’t you come over?”
When Kit reached the clinic, Jean and Dr. Barsch were waiting for her on the second floor.
“You wouldn’t think five cases of polio would make the difference,” Kit said to Jean. “I mean, keep you all so busy.”
Dr. Barsch frowned. “If polio were all we were concerned with, it wouldn’t be quite so bad. It seems we’re having another epidemic, too.”
“Virus pneumonia,” Jean added. “Three new ones today.”
Kit stared at her. “But I thought you got pneumonia in the winter ... or spring, at the latest.”
Dr. Barsch shook his head. “Not this brand. It can come any time.”
Kit looked at the doctor. “Well, put me to work. Anything I’m capable of doing, just let me know.”
The doctor smiled and patted her hand. “It takes misfortune to discover how fine people can be,” he said absently.