THE GREAT DOCTOR

”Doc, why are you daydreaming? ”

Ardhan was shocked to get a tap on his shoulder. He turned his head. It seemed Lea was already by his side.

”Come on, Doc. So you go to clinic with, right? ” Lea asked a second time.

”Yeah, I think so, ” said Ardhan, stuttering a little. He immediately got up from his seat on the row of chairs on the hospital terrace.

Lea told him to wait there earlier. Lea handed a key to Ardhan.

”Hang on me, ” said Lea. Her face, of course, swayed in the other direction.

”The tools and medicine have been brought, right? ” asked Ardhan to check. He was afraid that the equipment they needed was inadequate.

”Just props. Its already there too. When it comes to medicine, well have data later. Two days later, it was just stocked according to the report we sent to the central hospital, ” explained Lea reluctantly. ”Come on! Hurry up closed the clinic. ”

Ardhan sighed. He tried to remain patient even though Lea seemed so mean and hated him.

Ardhan jogged to the parking lot. He took a motorbike specially provided for employees and immediately boarded it. Lea sat behind Ardhan.

”Hold on tight, huh? I don want to be accused of being ugly if Doctor Lea suddenly falls in the middle of the road, ” said Ardhan.

Lea just chuckled. Her hands moved to hold Ardhans clothes.

Ardhan started the engine. He started driving his motorbike to the nearest clinic which was the target of his counseling. Arriving at clinic, it turned out that there was an impromptu activity to visit an elementary school. The clinic invited Ardhan and Lea to participate.

”The elementary school children will be happy if they get directions from great doctors like you, ” said the head of the clinic while in the car.

Ardhan and Lea nodded and smiled as a formality. To be honest, they both didn want to go. The reason was, the activities at this elementary school were about tutorials on brushing teeth and maintaining the cleanliness of the toilets (bathing, washing, and toileting).

Yes, maybe for Doctor Lea, its still quite appropriate. However, Ardhan was a surgeon. It was very strange if Ardhan gave tutorials like that to elementary school children. However, working in remote areas was not a matter of specialization of expertise. Above all, the most important thing was the skill to treat and help those around.

The sky-high knowledge possessed by people like Ardhan must be described in a simpler way so that it could be more useful for ordinary people. And, of course, this kind of thing became a dilemma as well as a difficulty for intelligent people like Ardhan.

Its proven when in the classroom and provide direction to school children. Ardhan was really clumsy when he gave an explanation on how to recognize the function of teeth and how to brush teeth properly and correctly.

”Doc, you should use a song, ” said Lea rebuked.

”Song? ” Ardhan looked confused at Lea.

Hes not good at singing. His voice just chaotic alias discordant when following a song.

”Yes. Children can easily memorize songs. Its like when we study the periodic table of the chemical elements. Theres a song so we can memorize it, ” explained Lea. ”Well, now you use the song too. ”

”Whats song, but? I can sing, ” Ardhan whispered back.

This time it was Leas turn to sigh heavily. She took the dental yeast in Ardhans hand and sang a tutorial using the tune of the song ”See My Garden ”.

The children who had been bored finally started to stare back at the front. They sang along with Lea and imitated Leas movements.

Ardhan nodded. He tried to imitate what was done by Lea until the session was over.

”Wow, thank you, Doctor Lea, Doctor Ardhan, ” said the Headmaster with a big smile. The fat man in the blue uniform shook Ardhan and Leas hands as they were about to part. ”The children looked enthusiastic earlier. Im so glad you
e here. I hope both of you we
e not bored, okay? ”

”Yes, Sir. Thank you for receiving us so well, ” Lea replied.

Ardhan just nodded and smiled. He still felt like a new person in his current environment. Instead of saying the wrong thing, he chose silence and put a smile on his face. Things like that should be enough as capital to socialize politely in society.

”Ouch! ” A child screamed from the soccer field.

All eyes on it. Ardhan was no exception.

A small child was seen lying face down. He cried when his friends helped him get up.

Ardhan ran to him. He helped clean the little boys wound on his leg.

”Calm down. I will help you, ” said Ardhan while cleaning the childs wound with water from his drinking bottle.

”Oh, just use this. Let the wound dry quickly, ” a child handed him an iodine tree trunk that still had a lot of sap.

Ardhan knows exactly that the iodine tree is one of the medicinal plants that had been abandoned for a long time. He grabbed it and applied the sap to the boys wound.

Of course the boy winced in pain. However, he seemed to be holding it in well until Ardhan bandaged the wound on his knee. After that, Ardhan carried the child to class.

”Don run around for a week, okay? Let the wound heal quickly, ” Ardhan ordered with a friendly smile.

”Yes, Uncle Doctor, ” said the little boy.

Ardhan stepped out of the classroom. He returned to the head of the clinic and Doctor Lea who was already in the car.

”Doctor Ardhan pays attention to small children. Do you already have children? ” asked the Head of the clinic.

”Uh, not yet. Im not married yet, ” Ardhan answered awkwardly. Actually, he already had the intention to marry Tiwi. However, fate made his path to be with Tiwi complicated now.

”Well, if you get married, youll be an exemplary father, I think. You seem love your wife and children, ” joked the Head of the clinic.

Ardhan just smiled. His mind was not in the car now.

Instead, he began to think about the issue of iodine. It occurred to Ardhan to do research on herbal medicine. Not everyone really wanted to be treated with chemical drugs until surgery. Many still believed in herbal plants. However, research on the efficacy of herbs and their promotion in the medical field had not been as extensive as in South Korea and China.

If I can make a breakthrough in this area, surely I can return to the central hospital faster, right? That way, I can get Tiwi and marry her again, Ardhan thought.

”Doc, don daydreaming, ” said Lea. ”Come on down. Ive arrived at the hospital. ”

Ardhan nodded. He immediately got out of the car.

”Lets just go right back, ” said Lea. She was tired from dealing with small children all day.

”Oh, you go first, Doc, ” Ardhan gave the motorbike keys.

”Well, Doctor Ardhan where are you going? ” replied Lea. She looked at Ardhan in surprise.

”What is clear is that it will not harm anyone, ” said Ardhan. ”Today I have no schedule with the patient either. ”

Ardhans steps rushed to leave Lea. It didn matter if Lea screamed his name. Ardhan chose to walk around the village now.

The community clinic that he visited still had a beautiful environment. There were many rice fields and vacant land full of plants. Ardhan became curious and wanted to try taking some plant samples. As of today, he didn have an appointment with a patient.

”Doc! Doctor Ardhan! ” Lea shouted. ”Hey! Where are you going?! Please, come back! ”

Ardhan looked back. He didn expect Lea to run after him. Ardhan chuckled. He chose to quicken his pace and hide in a narrow alley.

”Doctor Ardhan! Where the hell is this person?! ” Lea chirped. Of course Ardhan heard it because Leas voice was so loud. Yes, its fiercely beautiful. Thats Leah. Her voice coupled with a loud and slightly shrill voice.

Ardan was still hiding. When he was sure he was safe, he stepped out of hiding and continued on his way. He didn want to involve anyone in his personal pilot project. Ardhan continued to walk until he came to a fork.

There, Ardhan saw a car speeding past him. He had time to look at the car with the window half open. The face of the person near the car window was visible. Ardhans eyes widened. ”Vino?! ” Ardhan hissed in surprise.