051 ][ VIDEO

[worksmart]

[Chase is strolling down a familiar white lit hospital corridor, ear to a phone.]

First seasonal case of sledder's testicle this morning. On his stomach, too fast down the hill, slipped through one of the slats... yep... other one was relatively unscathed, though. If I'm lucky that's my last clinic session this year.

[He pauses for the other side

Comments

[byweavinglives]

[Speaking of getting coffee, that's where Saya is, bundled up as usual, but still managing to look sleek and stylish as she gets an espresso. She's peppering it with something from a flask that she pulled out of her purse]

[worksmart]

Double bypass. It's not a procedure I've been hands-on with in a few years.

[byweavinglives]

So something a bit uncommon.

How many years can it possibly be, Robert? You can't have been a doctor for that long.

[worksmart]

[A laugh at that, though from anyone else it might annoy him.]

I've been with House for three years, and here a year and a half. I've kept up observations, but it's been nearly five years since I was active in surgery.

[byweavinglives]

I see. And before then, your rotations, I'll assume.

None of my siblings are doctors. I know only the very fundamentals of how you were educated.

[worksmart]

You're not too far off. [He assumes she doesn't want the full run down, and looks to spare her.] How many siblings do you have?

[byweavinglives]

[One day, she might ask. But not today.]

That I know of? Nine.

[worksmart]

[it's unusual outside of the type of country where most children aren't expected to survive - and Egypt is one of those, but Australia isn't.]

Your dad was a busy guy.

[byweavinglives]

I was the only one he raised. My mother was not interested in children.

[worksmart]

I'm sorry. Do you know her at all?

[byweavinglives]

No. She gave me to my father when I was an infant and then left Windhoek. I have a photograph of her, however. She was three-quarters German, and one-quarter Ovambo.

I do not know much more than that.