The Red Bicycle

From the series.....The Red Bicycle

Why I love New York.

Self Portrait: Ollie's eye

Self Portrait: Night train

Self Portrait: Chelsea Cobble

Self Portrait: Vintage Truck

Another dab of fiction.....

At Christmas time Happy closed down his doctor’s office for two weeks, having arranged for his mentor Dr. Emmanuel Stevenson to handle any emergencies in his absence. Dr. Stevenson managed to listen with proper concern andseriousness as young

Doctor Hunley outlined in great detail all of the potential disasters that might be befall his patients. Hap provided Dr. Stevenson a painstakingly detailed typed list of his most serious cases with a synopsis of each, including the treatment thus far and his speculation about what treatment could be required if they needed assistance. Amid assurances that he would take care of Dr. Hunley’s patients as if they were his own, and that, yes, he would cable Dr. Hunley if he had any questions about treatments, the patient older man eventually succeeded in allaying the worst concerns of his young protege. Hap’s parting comments were a promise to make a long distance call to Dr. Stevenson halfway through his time away to see if there were any matters needing his attention. Dr. Stevenson said that he would be delighted to hear from Hap any day, but that hadn’t Hap better see to his travel plans to make sure he wasn’t going to miss that train?

Hap wandered away from Dr. Stevenson’s office with an empty brief case and a hollow feeling crowding his heart, wondering if he should have done more to prepare for his absence.

Asking himself for the thousandth time how his patients would get on without him…and was it right for him to leave? Fortunately those ponderings were thwarted because he was to catch a train that very morning, and his packing was as yet incomplete. So as his footsteps led him away from Dr. Stevenson’s they led him toward the unbridled excitement of preparing for time with Martine. By the time he reached the door of his boarding house, the bounce had returned to the young man’s step, and lightness to his his heart.

~ ~ ~