Читать книгу The New World Oligarchy: Destroying the United States Through Globalization - John R. Krismer - Страница 9

Chapter 2

Another Time – Another Place

Bill was so surprised by Mary’s response that he just sat there remembering the perfect Nursing Director he’d accidently hired with those remarkable blue eyes - but more importantly he thought back to how much she’d helped him to save that damned hospital in North Dakota. Then as he thought about her actually moving to Colorado, he recalled the time when he’d just returned from a trip to Chicago and Susan said, “The Swanson’s want us to meet them at Lake Sakakawea on Sunday. Apparently they’ve got a boat, and they’d like to take us out on the lake. I think they also want to discuss some things concerning the hospital. In any event, they gave me directions with the hope we could make it. I probably should’ve said I needed to check with you first, but I said we’d meet them. Is that okay?” she’d asked.

“Yes, that’s fine, I hear their boat is really something to see. Guess what? - I’ve talked to James Baker about recruiting my replacement, in that I’ve now just about completed everything I came here to do, and it looks like I can turn this job over to someone else in a few months,” he’d replied.

Bill recalled how Susan smiled, not knowing if she could depend on what she was hearing, since they were both anxious to return to Minneapolis - but Susan wasn’t about to get her hopes up too high just yet, knowing it would be difficult for Bill to keep his usual job enthusiasm if they both were anxious to leave, so she just said, Oh - really. Then he remembered how on Sunday they drove west toward Garrison, looking for the first dirt road going south toward the bay, when he spotted Doc’s boat.

My God, his boat is huge. It looks like a small steamboat, Susan whispered as they stepped onto that rickety old handmade dock that groaned with each step. Doc’s powerful diesels had no problem pulling the huge steel hull from that shallow bottom as the reverse props churned up the mud until the bow of the boat was pointing out towards the mouth of the bay, and the open water.

As Doc powered up the diesels, Bill recalled how this respected general surgeon had grown up on a ranch just north of Lake Sakakawea, which his father eventually left to him. Each year Doc had leased out thousands of acres of land, farming only a small section himself, while maintaining less than a thousand head of cattle and a few riding horses. And in spite of his busy surgical practice, the ranch still remained profitable and his surgical practice soon became one of the best in the state, supporting the Sister’s mission at the hospital for over thirty years. Because Doc had been involved in hiring Bill, he was one of the very few that knew Bill intended to leave after he’d salvaged the hospital - but more importantly he’d kept that a secret and Bill knew he could be trusted with this. As he stared at him, he noticed how Doc’s green eyes always had a twinkle to them. Suddenly Doc yelled over the diesels, just as they crossed under the New Town Bridge, “The water’s so deep here they’ve yet to find the bottom,” pointing at the depth finder, which was wavering up and down below the hundred foot mark on the gauge. Then pointing up at a cliff on the north end of the New Town Bridge he yelled, “That’s called lover’s leap, and you can almost see the entire reservoir from up there.” Then as he turned the boat south he explained, “I’m heading for our favorite beach where we can hike a bit and swim in some very refreshing cold water, if you’re up to it.”

As the boat glided toward the south shore, Doc idled down both diesels. “I’m planning a fresh walleye dinner tonight,” he grinned. “While you and Mary talk over some business, Susan and I will take the fishing boat and catch some fresh Walleye for dinner.”

Then driving the square nosed bow onto the sand beach he suddenly powered up both diesels, climbing a full five feet onto the shore before shutting things down and heading back to change into his swimsuit, just as Mary casually walked into the room in a very brief bikini, saying, “Well it looks like we’ve finally landed.”

Bill remembered how stunned he was, seeing her in a bikini. It was hard to believe he’d been meeting daily with her in a starched white nursing uniform that had concealed such an attractive body, as he awkwardly attempted to continue with some meaningless conversation. It was fortunate they were the only two in the room since it took Bill a while before he felt comfortable with her nakedness. Her tan also suggested she must’ve lived in bikinis during her time away from the hospital, and it was obvious that her Las Vegas show girl experience had conditioned her to be completely at ease without much on. Later, as both Doc and Mary casually strolled along the shoreline, it was even more difficult not to notice her hour glass shape while trying to pay attention to the peaceful surroundings that Doc was describing in great detail.

When they finally returned to the boat, Doc said, “Susan lets go catch those Walleye for dinner. Mary and Bill have some business to discuss, so we’ll let them talk while we fish.”

Bill remembered how both Mary and he stood watching their small boat slowly disappear around the point before she turned to Bill and laughed, saying - “Bill, it’s good to see you relaxing in a bathing suit. I don’t think I’ve ever seen you in anything but a suit and tie.”

“I must admit,” Bill chuckled, “seeing you in a bikini is a shock compared to that damn white nursing uniform I see you in every day.”

Laughingly Mary looked away, flipping her hair off to the side - then as she turned back to talk, her face suddenly became very serious, and her jaw visibly tightened. Pursing her lips tightly she stared at him. “I’ve got several things I need to discuss with you, and I know it’s not good to mix business with pleasure, but what we need to talk about would best be discussed away from the hospital.”

“Alright! - What’s on your mind?” Bill asked as they both sat down.

“Well, first let me tell you that on Monday we’re putting the ranch up for sale, and we thought you should hear about that before it happened. We’re building a home on a golf course in Fort Myers, Florida, and Doc’s retiring in about eight months. We’ve also purchased a manufactured home to live in after we sell our ranch - for when we return to North Dakota in the summers. As you know, Doc will be seventy-five years old, and it’s time he starts winding down his practice. Bill - I’ve certainly enjoyed my job with you, and I’m really going to miss working with you - very much,” she added as an after thought - again pursing her lips with one hand over her mouth to cover her obvious emotions.

“Bill, I want you to know that the last few years have been the most fulfilling years in my entire life,” she whispered as tears filled her crystal blue eyes. “Damn-it, I knew I was going to cry,” she mumbled to herself- turning away to hide her feelings.

As Bill reached out to console her, she grabbed his hand and squeezed it tightly. “I’m so sorry. I guess I wear my emotions too close to the surface.”

“I know - but that’s what I respect about you,” Bill had replied.

She didn’t have to say any more as she awkwardly tried to wipe away her free flowing tears with the back of her hand. Then after several moments of complete silence, they both stood up and without saying a word put their arms around each other. Her soft body sent chills down Bill’s spine, as his hands carefully moved across her bare back. It took everything he could muster to keep his hands from moving any further, as he felt goose bumps rise on her back in response to his touch. Finally they released just enough to look at each other. There was no need for words as their lips touched briefly in a soft but affectionate kiss. It was apparent that neither one of them wanted to end their relationship as Mary backed away, still holding his hand tightly as she stared off into the distance.

“Bill, There’s much more that I need to say,” she finally continued, slowly letting go of his hand and again staring intently at him before they sat down.

“My respect and support for you has recently been deeply challenged, and as you probably know to well, it’s also difficult for Doc to do anything that would alienate his colleagues, or that damned code of silence you doctors all hold so dear. And to be very honest, he doesn’t want to be involved in what I’ve recently trapped myself into. That’s why he thought it best you and I discuss things before we eat, and then he wants to visit with you after we’ve had a chance to talk.”

Not knowing where this was heading, Bill recalled how uncomfortable he felt.

“You know Red Hinkley - don’t you?” she continued.

Nodding, Bill remembered saying, “Yes, I’ve played golf with him, and he’s eaten with our town house group at that Spanish Inn Restaurant.”

“Are you aware of his background, and my relationship to him?”

“I guess I’d have to say no. I had no idea you even knew him.”

“Bill, in a small town everybody knows everyone. And I feel it’s important you know about my past relationship with him, particularly if you’re going to understand what I want to share with you,” she’d whispered, again looking intently into his eyes. “I’ve been thinking about how I might tell you this and all I can say is I’m going to tell the truth in the simplest and most honest way I can,” she stammered uncomfortably. “I first met Red when I was a showgirl in Las Vegas. He worked as a dealer at Caesar’s Palace, but he had all kinds of other things going on with many of the other showgirls. At that time, he’d fly back to North Dakota to manage the entertainment and gambling for the annual golf tournaments at the country club, which he now does full time.”

“Yes, I’ve heard some pretty rough stories about prostitution and gambling in those upstairs rooms of that clubhouse. And I understand he pays the police to overlook his underground syndicate.”

“Yes - that’s not only true, but it’s probably much worse than you’d ever dream.”

Bill recalled how she paused, tilting her head as she drew in a deep breath to relax a bit. “I feel close enough to you, that I’m going to say some things that I probably shouldn’t, but you need to know where I’m coming from. My marriage to Doc wasn’t initially based on love, it was a marriage of convenience based on money. Doc had seen me in a show in Las Vegas, and because he knew Red, he’d asked him to introduce me to him. He’d recently lost his wife to cancer, and he and his children were devastated by her death, and he needed both a companion and a caregiver for his children - and of course a female relationship with what he perhaps considered some type of trophy wife.”

As she spoke, Bill remembered how she kept shaking her head from side to side.

“I was young and foolish, and to be very honest I was looking for someone with money. My goals were simple - I wanted someone to provide the things I never had, and I wanted to travel - and I saw that in him.”

Bill remembered how very uncomfortable he felt with what Mary was saying, since he had no idea as to why she was even telling him all this.

“Red was always helping some showgirl to make ends meet, as long as he could benefit from it. So, some ten years ago, he flew four of us to his annual golf tournament. The other girls did tricks, and Red split the money with them and paid all their expenses. Of course he brought me along as a surprise for Doc, and we were married shortly thereafter. Later I found that Doc paid Red a fee for arranging this get together.” As Mary talked, she stretched out her shapely legs, staring at her feet. “Bill, my first five years in North Dakota were not only a culture shock - they were a nightmare. Here I was, a show girl trying to raise three strange children who really didn’t accept me in the least, and we lived on a ranch that was so remote I almost went crazy. Finally Doc persuaded me to go back to school and train as a nurse, so I’d be able to help manage his office, and that’s what I did - and that was the only thing that kept me from going insane.”

Bill recalled how shocked he was at what she was telling him, “My God Mary, your life looks so stable from the outside. I hadn’t a clue,” he’d replied.

“Much of my happiness has been my challenge in nursing. And now I see so much more purpose in life having worked with you. To be very honest, money’s not the answer to happiness. I’d give anything to have placed love above money, even though I eventually grew to love and respect Doc over the years.”

Again taking a deep breath, she appeared visibly relieved to have this out of the way, but she still looked disturbed.

“Okay, let me get to the point as to why I’m telling you all this and why I wanted to talk to you.” Bill remembered how her eyes were even more determined, as she once again stared at him.

“Last week, Red asked to meet alone with me at the ranch. He said he needed to ask me a very important favor, and like a fool my inexperience trapped me. He wanted to know if you were working for the government, and I told him you were flying to Washington every so often, but I didn’t know what you were doing there. Doc tells me Red and Lanin are very close friends, and Red sets Lanin up for gambling, girls, and booze regularly on his wife-less trips to Las Vegas - and let me tell you, Red Hinkley isn’t the type of person you’d ever want to cross swords with. He’s been known to serve as the middleman, like hiring a torpedo to take people out of the picture. Doc’s been able to distance himself from Red, but Red keeps acting as if he did me a big favor. Recently, Lanin told him that you represent a real problem to what they call their Dinosaur Club. In fact, he and Lanin would’ve gotten rid of you a long time ago, if they didn’t suspect you were involved with the FBI or someone in Washington. Bill, he’s asked me to find out just why you came here. He wants me to learn more about you, even if I have to seduce you - and he’s willing to pay me if I can find out what makes you tick. Pausing she said, Bill, I just can’t sell you down the river to that leach - not for any amount of money, which I’m sure the Lanin clinic and his big international bankers would pay.”

With that she uncrossed her feet, and sat up straight. Then leaning closer she whispered, “Bill, I think you’re safe as long as they think you’re an informant for the government, but I get the distinct feeling your days are numbered if they learn you’re really here just to help these poor little Nuns.”

“Mary - Doc knows why I’m here, in fact he helped hire me. He also knows that Lanin’s clinic, or these Dinosaurs as you call them, intend to eventually acquire the hospital and I’ve been hired to stop that type of hostile take-over. But I still have to reorganize the emergency service before I leave, and that’s going to become a real peeing contest - as you well know. Anyway, I’ve just started to recruit my own replacement, and it now looks like we’re both planning to leave paradise at about the same time now that the hospital is back on a sound financial track. That’s unless they plan to kill me before I can get out of harm’s way.”

“Bill, that’s exactly what my meeting with you is all about, she whispered. I think they do plan to kill you!”

Startled by what she’d just said, Bill stared out at the water speechless, as Mary grabbed his arm, shaking it to get his attention. “Bill, you know that Doc, like anyone else, must protect himself. If he even attempts to expose that Lanin clique - that damned Dinosaur Club would blackball him forever, but I’m sure you already know that. However, he’s willing to secretly talk to you in confidence - after we’ve had a chance to visit. So I guess we both need to talk to you off the record, and he asked me to find out if you’d be willing to keep his confidence, before he tells you anything about what’s really going on here.”

“Mary, you know Doc has my assurance of that,” Bill said to her, “and you can tell him that neither I nor Susan will abuse that confidence. I also understand what you’re trying to tell me, and I’m very appreciative. Hell, I’m really very thankful to you for what you’re telling me - but you need to know that there is much more behind this than meets the eye. To be very honest, I can’t share with you whether it’s a government investigation or not, but the Harrington and Associates have asked me to find out more about all these powerful doctor organizations that are intentionally cooperating with that Washington clique in de-regulating healthcare in America. We know a little bit about all these elite aristocracies trying to deregulate and decentralize our healthcare system through their monopolies, but they apparently include much more than health insurance and these corrupt pharmaceutical houses. Worse yet, they already have far too many politicians and corruptible physicians in their pocket, and believe me their pockets are very deep. But whoever they really are, they’re totally ignoring the medical ethics and the basic principles of our profession, let alone this country’s democracy we’ve held so sacred for so many years. Hell, this powerful aristocracy is completely caught up in an endless feeding frenzy, and they could care less about the working class that built this country. And there appears to be a new breed of doctors that are acting like a bunch of God damned Witch Doctors. Fascists use these same terror tactics to keep people confused while they get what they want, and that’s exactly what Lanin’s cronies are doing. They don’t want medicine to remain a professional science with standards. They just want to be a part of that wealthy upper crust that completely controls our dysfunctional politicians in Washington.”

“You sound just like Doc, Mary said finally grinning to relieve the tension. Bill, I’d like to tell Red that you told me in complete confidence that you’re investigating things for the government. I’d like to tell him the government sent you here to stop any takeover of this nonprofit hospital. It just may give you the time you need to get your butt out of here, before being killed.”

With that, tears once again filled her eyes - “Bill, I just don’t want you to get hurt,” she’d whispered softly.

“Alright - you can do that - but I have a favor to ask.”

Bill remembered how she looked at him and nodded, not knowing what that might be.

“Please don’t let Susan know that Lanin and Hinkley have me on their hit list.”

“That’ll be our secret,” she smiled, nodding to confirm their agreement.

* * * * *

After Susan and Doc returned from fishing, both Mary and Bill ran to check if they’d caught dinner, and once again Bill recalled Susan’s beautiful smile as she lifted a stringer of fresh Walleye out of the holding tank - but it also hurt him deeply to think back to those happy days.

“Guess who caught the first and the biggest Walleye?” she’d yelled, laying the fish down and diving into the cold lake.

“You shouldn’t have to perform surgery on Sunday, - I’ll filet them,” Bill remembered saying to Doc as he picked up the stringer and carried them to their fish-cleaning table where he made fast work of ten thick boneless filets, while the others changed for dinner. When Doc returned, Bill watched him soak the fresh filets in a mixture of milk and eggs before shaking them in a plastic bag filled with flour, salt and breadcrumbs - explaining all the time how an Indian guide had taught him how to make the best shore lunch in America. Then after melting a pound of lard in a huge skillet, they all watched each filet sizzle as he carefully lowered one filet at a time into the pan, which Bill recalled was spattering in every direction.

Mary had prepared everything but the main entree while Bill and Susan helped set the table as they snacked on some hors d’oeuvres, happily drinking and talking about Susan catching the largest Walleye. Then Bill remembered how Doc walked out on the deck and smugly rang a large silver dinner bell, yelling - “Let’s eat.”

It took only a few minutes for them to ravenously devour the delicious Walleye filets, and then as the sun began to inch closer to the horizon, Doc once again started the powerful diesels, pulling the boat off the beach. As the chill of the lake took over, he powered up the boat yelling, “We’ll have some warm coffee and dessert once we’re safely docked.” Slipping on their jackets, Mary, Susan and Bill found a comfortable place at the stern of the boat where they were protected from the wind, watching the rolling wake reflect a spectacular sunset. Then as the sun finally disappeared below the horizon, Doc carefully guided the boat along the stick-like markers back to that shaky dock. Bill could still remember that deathly silence when the diesels stopped - just before the sounds of the night once again felt it safe to take over as the frogs and crickets resumed their evening symphony. Even though they were protected from the wind, Mary hurriedly shut the cool evening air out by closing all the windows, before she served coffee and dessert.

After some casual conversation, Bill remembered how Doc held up one hand to get their attention.

“I apologize for changing the subject,” he’d explained, “but Mary’s probably told Bill that we’ll be leaving North Dakota in January, and the hospital will need to hire a new Nursing Director and a new General Surgeon. Mary and I have talked an awful lot about our retirement years, and I’ve concluded that if we’re to ever enjoy retirement, we need to do it now. I’ve been fighting these Dinosaurs for so long, I’m completely exhausted, and I need to get away from it all. I also have some real fears about what’s going on with these healthcare monopolies, and both you and Susan need to hear some of my concerns.” And as he looked at Bill he whispered, “I hope that what I’m going to tell you will somehow protect you and your family.”

That caught Susan’s attention as Doc paused, taking a quick Scandinavian swig of scalding hot coffee.

“Bill, you’re one of the best damn administrators I’ve ever seen, and I can’t stand to see you get trapped by that stupid-ass Lanin. But let me start by saying it’s very important for me that no one knows what I’m about to share with you.”

“Both Susan and I can assure you of that,” Bill answered as he looked to Susan for approval.

Then after Susan nodded rather cautiously, Doc continued.

“All right, let me tell you I’ve been under some severe pressure to sell my practice to Lanin’s clinic, and I’ve never caved in to his demands before, because I consider his clique to be the biggest conglomerate of corrupt ass-holes on the face of the earth. There’s no one at that damned clinic you could ever trust, and as you already know, many new physicians are either run out of town by their boycotting, or they eventually bow to becoming submissive to those bastards. Because I came from a wealthy local family, my practice was well established before they came into power, and they haven’t been able to hurt me - although that’s not to say they haven’t tried. I could tell you stories that would curl your hair, but our time can best be served by telling you only what you need to know.”

With that he paused just long enough to finish one last spoonful of cherry dessert.

“Dick Lanin is an inept GP who could hardly qualify for his license to practice after he finished his general internship. About nine years ago he sucked up to his controller buddy Collier and the Sisters, whom he hates, so he could get appointed as Board Chairman at the hospital. We’ve all known that Collier was an original plant from that huge Nashville monopoly, but none of us had the guts or foresight to do anything about it back then - nor did we ever think it was even going to be a problem. As a result, Lanin and Collier have been stealing the hospital blind, and you’ve been successful in finally cutting off their water. If they had it their way, they’d bankrupt the hospital so they could take it over. You also need to know that Sister Jean, the former Administrator, and Sister Catherine the former Nursing Director, before you came here, were murdered by that son-of-a-bitch. Bill, that’s the absolute truth, but nobody is ever going to accuse him of that, if they want to live very long. You also need to know that those two Sisters were fed up with Collier’s crooked accounting tactics, and were about to blow the whistle on him. In fact, Sister Gerome, the Provincialate, told me they were driving to Denver to explain what was happening when their car ended up in the lake. They’d also told Gerome they were leaving the convent, and that was final - all because of the hell Lanin and Collier had created for them.”

“Later,” Gerome said to me, “she’d placed Jean and Catherine in two of her most responsible positions, and had told them they couldn’t just walk out on them - she told them they needed to drive to Colorado, so they could at least talk before they made any decisions that involve the hospital. If we lose that hospital, we lose our mission in healthcare she’d said to them just before they were murdered.

“Then after Lanin concocted that damned accident on their trip to Denver, Gerome flew here to visit with me. She told me she was searching for a solution to what was rapidly becoming an impossible situation. As you know, they’re a small order of just over three hundred nuns, and they’d already lost two of their smaller hospitals in the same type of hostile take-over. Bill, it was going to be impossible for them to survive if they lost this hospital. I remember standing there and watching her nervously pacing back and forth as she agonized over the predicament she was in.”

With this, Doc paused, taking one last swig of coffee.

“Then she told me she should’ve seen this coming. You know how our hospital’s costs have been spiraling out of control since those profit-centered HMOs have taken over our once nonprofit healthcare system, she’d said. And it was probably Jean’s only way of getting out of an impossible situation. Just as soon as she earned her Master’s Degree, I moved her right into one of the toughest jobs we had - and that was wrong, she explained to me.”

“Yes, but you had no choice - you had no one else who was even qualified,” I replied.

“I know, but she was just too young and inexperienced, and it was a huge mistake. Worse yet, we’ve kept her in that position way to long. In fact, she told me she couldn’t tolerate another day in that hospital because of these two thieves, which she referred to as Sodom and Gomorrah. Doctor, do you realize both Jean and Catherine were asking me for dispensation from their religious vows - can you believe that? She’d said to me - I can remember when a Sister’s vow was for life, and if we keep losing our younger nuns, it’s going to be hopeless for us to continue to help the sick and disabled.”

“Bill, for as long as I’ve known Sister Gerome, she’d always been a very efficient and capable decision maker, but this time she was clearly at a loss as to what to do. In fact she asked me if I’d pray with her, and as I watched her lower her tall aching body to her knees her voice echoed through the room in a way I’ll never forget. It was just as if she had a direct line to God. I’ll never forget the way she said Dear Lord, when will I acquire some problem solving skills? Please give me your divine guidance. I just don’t understand what you want me to do. Then she lowered her head and prayed out loud - saying a prayer I’ll never forget.”

“Lord, make me an instrument of Thy peace; where there is hatred, let me sow love; where there is injury, pardon; where there is doubt, faith; where there is despair, hope; where there is darkness, light; and where there is sadness, joy. O Divine Master, grant me that I may not so much seek to be consoled as to console; to be understood as to understand; to be loved, as to love; for it is in giving that we receive, it is in pardoning that we are pardoned, and it is in dying that we are born to eternal life.”

“I can’t explain it but I felt like the Lord was right there in the room with us. It was scary. I don’t know if you know this about Sister Gerome, but she’s half Lakota Indian, and she loved working on their Indian Reservation at Wounded Knee. She felt far more at peace swinging a hammer, or helping to build a home for a needy tribe member than playing corporate politics. But since much of her life had been spent helping the sick and disabled, she’d often said to me that she’d be damned before she’d let another group of entrepreneurial fat cats take over their largest hospital. Bill, when she finished praying her entire body seemed to relax as if she was finally at peace with herself - just as if an answer came to her without any doubt as to what had to be done. I could see the pain in her eyes as she maneuvered her large frame into a standing position, inhaling deeply to relieve that constant hip pain that had always plagued her.”

Then she looked at me and said, “Doc, we’re not licked yet. We’re not going to give up our mission, or let some corrupt group of fat cats profit from these poor sick and disabled human beings.”

“Bill, I can remember how her brown eyes were flashing in defiance as she hurriedly walked to Sister Jean’s office with me right behind her.”

“Dave Nelson, that consultant we hired, has just completed a Role and Program Study for us,” she muttered, searching for his phone number. “He’s familiar with our problems. I’m going to ask him to get us a professional administrator who can salvage this hospital.”

For a moment, I’d felt like I’d just witnessed a miracle. Fortunately, Dave Nelson, the Vice-President of the Harrington and Associates was at his desk, as she blurted out, “Mr. Nelson, this is Sister Gerome. I’m sorry to bother you, but something has come up that urgently requires your help.”

Since she had him on a speaker phone I could hear him say, “Sister, that’s no problem. What’s on your mind?”

“Mr. Nelson, I’ve got a big problem and I need your help. Sister Jean and Sister Catherine were killed in a car accident Friday night. They were both driving to Colorado to meet with me on Monday, and they were planning to resign if you can believe that. In fact, they told me they were planning to leave the order immediately.”

“Sister, I’m so sorry to hear that - that’s terrible! Please accept our sympathy.”

“Thank you, but this has been a terrible set back to us as you can well imagine, and I can no longer let our hospital problems continue this way. I need to take the necessary steps to protect our ownership, and I want you to get me a top notch lay administrator who can put things back together. I know the church won’t like that, but that’s the way it is.”

“Sister, this day was inevitable,” Dave said to her, “and I’m glad you’re finally ready to face up to your problems. What you’re going to have to do is get somebody who can go in there and play hard ball - and you know what? You’re going to have an even bigger problem when these new Medicare Caps control your hospital’s reimbursement, which goes into effect in just eighteen months. Actually, you have less than two years to reduce your expenses, or your hospital is going out of business.”

“I’m just beginning to realize that,” she grumbled. “Worse yet, Mr. Simms, our Provincialate Controller, feels there have been some huge amounts of money disappearing from that hospital. He thinks it’s been going on since that Controller, Mr. Collier, and the new Board Chairman, Doctor Richard Lanin have taken over the Board of Directors. In fact, we’ve become one of the highest charging hospitals in the nation. Just the other day he showed me how the hospital’s expenses have been increasing at an average of twenty percent annually since those two came on board. And this year, they expect an increase of more than thirty percent. We’ve been asking Sister Jean about this for months, but she can’t, or won’t give us any answers. But that’s what this was all about. Mr. Nelson, we’re beginning to feel like outsiders in our own hospital. And you’re absolutely right, we’re going to lose another hospital if something isn’t done to turn things around - and I mean right now!”

“Well, that’s not going to be an easy assignment,” Dave replied. “In fact, I can only think of a couple men in the entire country who might be persuaded to handle that type of combat - and I can tell you right up front - it’ll be very difficult to persuade them to take on that bunch of hoodlums and their powerful international bankers that have bankrolled them.”

“Mr. Nelson, I want you to contact them immediately. You do whatever it takes to get a qualified administrator to help us reclaim our hospital. We just can’t continue this way any longer. And Mr. Nelson, it’s time we hire someone we can trust - someone who can look out for our interests.”

“Sister, I’ll get right on it,” Dave replied, “and I don’t want you to get discouraged, I’m sure we’ll find someone who can measure up to the task. I’ll discuss it with our staff this afternoon and I’ll call you first thing, once I find a candidate for the job.”

“And Bill, as you know - we were fortunate enough to hire you,” Doc said. “But now you need to understand that Lanin is going to make you pay dearly for what you’ve accomplished. As Board Chairman, Lanin has used his position, and the hospital’s financial wherewithal to move up rapidly in the informal ranks of his Dinosaur Club, which represents a sizable group of corrupt physicians throughout North Dakota, Montana, South Dakota, Nebraska, and I believe Colorado.”

Bill recalled looking at Susan, who was glaring at him. “I’ve heard about that wealthy Oligarchy that wants to make some big bucks off healthcare, but I had no idea that many doctors were mixed up in this thing,” Bill scowled, starring at Doc.

“You can bet your sweet ass it’s big, and you better pay close attention to what I’m going to tell you. I now understand this Dinosaur Club has just appointed Lanin to some top position, and the officers of that illustrious aristocracy meet secretly every quarter in Las Vegas. And I suspect that the hospital has been unknowingly paying for all of Lanin’s previous frivolity - at least until you arrived on the scene. You may not know this, but it’s now mandatory for every member of your hospital medical staff to routinely pay a substantial amount of money in cash, to their organization if they want referrals from Lanin’s clinic. This money is then used to accomplish their political agenda.”

Bill recalled the sour look on Doc’s face as he continued.

“From what I’ve been told, they keep no minutes, and their financial power and influence is growing every year. So far, I’ve refused to pay one damn dime to them because I just can’t swallow their strong-arm tactics. But recently, Odoroff, who’s short on ears and long on mouth told me I’d have to contribute three thousand dollars in cash, and that’s what persuaded me to get the hell out. Hell, those contributions go right into some God damned politician’s pocket, so that healthcare can be shoved out into the open market, where only those who can afford care will receive it. That’s nothing more than a two level system where the poor will get pissed on - and that’s called trickle down healthcare.”

“My God Doc, what type of professional image is healthcare getting? What are they going to do for an encore, screw all our sick and disabled in America?” Bill snarled. “Americans have already paid billions of tax dollars to develop a quality nonprofit healthcare infrastructure, and it sounds like these bastards intend to rape and pillage the poor sick and disabled patient into oblivion.”

“It’s much worse than that, and it’s not just healthcare we’re talking about. Our utility companies, our airline industry, our schools, and many of our large corporations have all been deregulated so this wealthy upper class can create their New World Order and monopolize the global market under the deceitful heading of globalization. And the only thing their HMO’s and their corporate practice of medicine look at when they see a patient is how many dollars can we squeeze out of this one. So as a result, our once nonprofit, legally licensed private practice of medicine by professional doctors is going to hell in a hand basket, which doesn’t sound like an open market to me. And on top of all that, the patient doesn’t have a damned thing to say about what’s being done to them anymore. But what else is new? Hell, these guys don’t know what democracy means - I can’t tell if it’s a democracy or hypocrisy. Worse yet, my once respected Republican conservative party and this Dynasty have all been bought off by these bastards, if you can believe that.”

Bill remembered how Susan had been squirming in her chair, and finally out of complete frustration she blurted out, “Doc, what’s happened to that Hippocratic Oath you all thought was so sacred?”

Doc looked at her and shrugged. “Hey,” he chuckled. “The Dinosaurs will tell you to shove that where the sun don’t shine. They’ve spent years going to school, and they want to get paid for their hypocrisy - not some damned Hippocratic Oath they’ve all taken back in their school days. Susan, Lanin’s so damned mad at Bill right now it’s unbelievable. We constantly hear at coffee, how he’s going to get both Sister Gerome and Bill if it’s the last thing he ever does.”

Bill recalled how Mary physically flinched at that, knowing Doc had said much more than he should have.

“Well that’s nice to know,” Susan interrupted. “You come in and work your butt off to improve things, and they’re going to get you for cleaning up their mess. Sounds like they want to control more than the practice of medicine to me,” she snarled. Then gritting her teeth she added, “Maybe, ‘We the People,’ really don’t have any rights anymore.”

“I agree,” Doc replied, “and on top of all that, they’ve been doing things that have been scaring the hell out of me and many other ethical physicians. Now their damned monopolies are acquiring nonprofit hospital ancillary services as their own private business in almost every part of the country, and that use to be considered a conflict of interest - a no-no - beside being far too costly to the patient. In fact, if a physician prescribed something they’d receive money for, it was once considered unethical. But what the hell - it’s a sweetheart deal if the upper crust can triple their income without any regulation or intervention, all because they’ve paid off some crooked politician. That’s how they’re baiting these younger doctors into joining their Dinosaur Club. And don’t tell me they don’t have power. But you know what? They don’t realize that someday the consumer’s going to bite back at them - and stop paying them when the sick and disabled all go broke. They just don’t seem to realize that most empires fail because of people revolutions. That’s why more experienced countries have gone to a single nonprofit prepayment system, so they can control this type of abuse. And that’s not some damned profit insurance system, like we have today.”

Bill nodded, “Your absolutely right Doc, and I agree with you.”

With that he recalled how Doc paused, sucking in a deep breath before blowing it out in a long frustrated whistle.

“Bill, you’re very much aware that Lanin’s Dinosaurs have already taken over two of the Sister’s poorly run hospitals, aren’t you?”

“Yes.”

“Well, I bet you don’t know it was Lanin who orchestrated those take over’s in Nebraska. And once these Managed Care Monopolies take over, the public will never prevail again. When I asked Lanin if he wasn’t creating an illegal monopoly, he said - we’ve got the consumer by the balls, and just what the hell can they do about it? Are they going to put us all in jail, where we can’t treat them when they get sick?”

“That may be just what we need to do,” Bill growled, puckering his mouth tightly. “At least it would help cut down on the current excess of some two hundred thousand physicians in this country.”

“The other thing I was going to tell you, which should be extremely important to you is they’re forcing hospital boards, under the threat of boycott, to replace highly qualified administrators with their yes men, like Collier. Today, every new administrator must be capable of sucking-up to the Dinosaurs to keep their job and their big salaries, or they get rid of them. That’s their way of controlling things. I don’t have to tell you that you’ve walked into a buzz saw, and that’s what’s going to happen all across America over the next few years. Ever since we won the cold war, America has been to strong for these bankers to control, and that’s how they are going to weaken this once great nation - so they can take over.”

Susan and Bill looked at each other as if Doc had just touched a hot wire.

“Susan, it looks like I should be the one to retire, not Doc,” Bill grumbled.

Frowning, Doc picked up his empty coffee cup and then quickly set it back down. “Bill, these wealthy noblemen have set up the largest administrative blackballing system in the world, and you’re probably pretty close to the top of their list, right now. They don’t want ethical Presidents that lead; they want yes men. Perhaps you can now see why I’m ready for retirement. No practicing physician would dare tell anyone what I’m telling you, because they’d be castrated - but I’m in a position where I can still get out, before I contaminate a lifetime of ethics with this Lanin bullshit - and so are you.”

Bill thought Doc was finished, but then he continued.

“Now I’m going to really break their God damned code of silence,” he snarled, leaning forward in his chair and lowering his voice. “Richard Lanin’s a very close friend to the man that first introduced me to my wife.”

Bill remembered how Mary’s face flushed with that remark.

“You probably know Red Hinkley, don’t you?”

“Oh yes, I’ve played golf with him a few times.”

With that Mary looked at her feet, embarrassed - trying to ignore what Doc was about to say.

“Well, Dick Lanin and Red are the best of friends. Red’s been involved in some sort of Las Vegas underworld for many years, and I can’t stand the bastard, even though he helped me meet Mary. And recently I’ve been told by a very reliable and close colleague of Lanin’s, that Red paid a Las Vegas mechanic to do away with those two Sisters.”