"Why is there so much evil in people?" Julia thought to herself. She hadn't been at work long and today's list of patients showed the dark side of life in the city. A stabbing victim, a woman who had been beaten by her pimp until her face was unrecognisable and a young man who had overdosed on heroin had required her attention either fully or in part with other doctors. And they weren't much source of encouragement either: One of the senior surgeons seemed to have a callous indifference to these patients as he kept muttering about how dealing with the dregs was preventing him from operating on better, more wealthier invalids. Other junior doctors cracked bad taste jokes about the sick. Her work colleagues weren't as nice or friendly as those she had known and worked with since she started at this hospital: Harper was now on nights, Francesca took on a senior administrative role which paid better and she needed to earn more money to look after her daughter on her own. And as for fellow doctors, she was still haunted by memories of Vincent Bledsoe...
She took a moment to calm herself down in the bathroom mirror; she was a professional and she had to put her feelings to one side in order to do her job properly. She left the bathroom and grabbed a medical chart for a Mr J.J. Gotcha.
James Jefferson Gotcha, age 46, resident of Sim City, profession: Businessman. Symptoms: Spiral warts, coated tongue, bowel moths, torpid liver...eugh, this sounds rough, thought Julia.
"Well helloooooooooo nurse!" he muttered.
"Not nurse. Doctor. I am Doctor Julia Epstein and I will be dealing with your case. Now I have a list of symptoms but I would like to perform some tests on you."
"You can perform any test you like, Doctor" he said, trying to sound flirtatious but with a raspy wheeze to his voice.
"Please, Mr Gotcha, try to take this seriously and less with the attempts at a witty come-on. There are strict rules about doctors and patients fraternising; rules which I adhere to 100%."
"Now you're just playing hard to get..." he replied, forcing a smile on his face.
"I think your wife might object" she said, pointing to his wedding ring.
"Dang! I keep forgetting to remove that!"
"OK, now sit up, Mr Gotcha...I'm going to do an examination which might hurt you more than it hurts me..."
After her shift Julia made her way home. All the while she kept thinking about all the sleazy men she had encountered at work since she started at the hospital. It was mostly patients who were trying to hit on her but by now she had heard every cringeworthy pick up line that was out there, endured some pinched bottoms and even some gropes. It made her seethe inside and she had even complained to her boss, Dr Murakami.
"I know it is unacceptable behaviour and we have strict rules but we must treat patients, no matter how leery they get. Goodness knows how many comments and inappropriate physical contact I have had over the years, Dr Epstein, but we can't go running for help every time a louche man tries his luck with female staff. It's just the way some men are."
"But there has to be a deterrent, Dr Murakami! Something that will make men think twice!"
"What, call security? A waste of their time. No, you have to learn to brush the minor annoyances of these patients off...it's what women have been doing for all time."
"But if these men cross the line....I mean, there's got to be a word for this kind of activity...sex discrimination...."
"If you feel truly threatened, and your safety is at risk yes, call security. But those same leery men are looking for weaknesses in women...they resent us being doctors, lawyers and scientists and they'll try to make us look weak. Don't give them that excuse!"
Julia was annoyed at how blasé Dr Murakami was, but given her older age and growing up in a more traditional Japanese-American environment, she had accepted her role and limits in a way Julia hadn't. Well, sex pests was something to bring up at the next League of Decency meeting.
Julia had decided to play host for the next meeting and had made some cookies for everyone. Then she got changed into her League uniform...she knew George and Edna were sticklers for detail so she made sure she cut no corners with looking smart.
The first guest to arrive was the newest recruit: Vance Mannero.
"Hello, Vance, you're the first here...would you like a sugar cookie?" she asked, being the perfect polite hostess.
"I would, thanks. It's been a while since we all met together for League business" said Vance, gruffly, as he took a cookie.
"It has. I suppose with Geoffrey Landgraab's death and him being our benefactor we haven't had much time to get together. Do the police still think it was an accidental death?"
"As far as I know, yes. They haven't ruled out suicide either...anyway, it's not my case; Homicide are on it."
Julia looked shocked at the word 'homicide' and tried to find something else to talk about.
"So....what do you think of men who pester women at their place of work?" she asked.
After getting Vance's opinion on the subject, which involved rubber hoses and alleyways to teach people a lesson, the others began to arrive for the meeting. Julia hadn't put together an agenda or anything, this was more about getting the club together for a social gathering in preparation for something more serious in the near future.
The male members of the league gathered around the kitchen table to eat the cookies, the women sat of the sofa and George kind of went between the two groups, not sure which one to gravitate towards more.
Julia told Edna her thoughts and worries about men being sex pests and Edna nodded appreciatively before letting out a little chuckle and waving her hand dismissively.
"Oh I know all about that sort of thing, my dear" she said, heartily. "I have a slap that's more powerful than my slight figure would suggest. I recommend you develop a powerful slap as well...works wonders."
"Mind you, I don't meet many of those sort of men...and my George is never anything less than a gentleman, aren't you, dear?"
"Yes Edna." said George, meekly.
"If you can't keep a man in line verbally, you need to dissuade them with force" said Edna, emphatically.
"I'm not a physical person, Edna, and I dislike confrontation of that sort" said Julia. "I just hate the way some men view me as a kind of object. I mean, they just look at you and without getting to know you or your personality or mind they just lust after you!"
"I'm going to get some cookies." said George, uncomfortably. His memory still fresh from Geoffrey Landgraab lusting after him when he was being Beulah.
"Julia, don't think I'm unsympathetic" said Edna, after they too grabbed a few cookies for themselves. "I think what's going wrong with men is this permissive society. I blame the war; everyone back then thought this would be their last time to...well...you know...have carnal knowledge so standards went woosh, straight out of the window!"
"I think one of our missions in the League is to make men gentlemen again. We need fewer men like The Rolling Stones and more like Cary Grant. I will add that to our next agenda." said Edna.
An idea was now percolating in her mind...yes, a new quest...and one that would take a swipe at Alan Cuffe and his pornography empire.
The amiable chatter went on and everyone agreed that a good plan to put into practice would be to encourage better gentlemanly behaviour from men which was in line with the League of Decency's charter. One by one the guests left but Scott Urban volunteered to stay behind to help Julia tidy up.
"That's very kind of you, Mr Urban, but I can do this..." said Julia.
"It's Scott, ma'am, and I don't mind helping. I sure did like those cookies and had more than my fair share so the least I can do is help you tidy up." he replied.
He grabbed some plates and coffee cups and took them over to one of Julia's two sinks in the kitchen area.
"Those dishes go in the right hand one, Scott" said Julia.
"Yup, got it...I was forgetting you are of the Jewish persuasion and that y'all have two kitchen sinks"
"That's alright, Scott, but I'm impressed that you know about that. Not many people do and I'm always being asked why there are two sinks."
"I like to do my research, Miss Julia. Anyways, I really dug what you had to say about men being gentlemen and I agree: I was brought up in a small town where there were good Christian values...well, I mean, Jewish values are also in line with the whole...erm...godliness thing...I mean no offence."
"None taken. Do you know, Scott, this morning I was down in the dumps about how men are just letches these days but this meeting tonight...you, George and Vance, have restored my faith a little. George is always a courteous and faithful husband, you are always polite and respectful and Vance...well...I guess he's there for when men step out of line...."
"Yup, he sure is like that, nyuk" said Scott with a smile and a chuckle.
"Are you in a rush, Scott? I can't face any more paperwork this evening and I was just going to have a glass of wine and relax in front of the TV but if you'd like to stay a bit more then you're more than welcome because I'm enjoying our conversation."
Scott gulped and nodded. "That would be mighty fine, Miss Julia." he said, his heart starting to pound faster. He had a crush on Julia but he realised he was a working class boy from a small town and an army background whereas Julia was intelligent, well educated and sophisticated. But just a few minutes in her company made him feel happy. Maybe the divide between them was too vast but...then...maybe not if the stars aligned just right?
