An Odd Request

Everyone was silent as they stared at the slammed door to Cuckler’s office. Frieda gave one last sob before saying, “That is fucking it.” She marched over to her desk and started emptying the drawers. Proctor only hesitated for a moment before he went over to his desk and began doing the same thing. “You’re right Frieda. You’re absolutely right. There isn’t any other choice. He won’t tell us what’s going on, he won’t let us help make decisions. This is just outrageous,” Proctor was talking for himself more than anyone else. The interns all scattered, some shuffled back to their desks but even a few of those walked to the door. Frieda herself was quiet, not responding to anything Proctor was saying as he continued to talk. “Maybe we can get some work with somebody else,” Proctor said as he finally looked up to see Frieda holding a package before her. “It’s…it’s from Dr. Hobart!” Frieda exclaimed. She tore it open and found a short letter and clear plastic bag. Inside were two plain, unmarked white pills. ‘Dear Frieda, I have a strange favor to ask of you. By now, you have already begin to realize that Cuckler is given to strange behavior. He is not always well, and sometimes forgets to take his medicine. Would you please find a way to slip this to him so he can recover some of his senses? All will be explained soon enough.’ Even Proctor agreed it was Hobart’s strange scrawl after looking the letter over. “But what does it mean? He can’t really expect us to slip some drug to Cuckler. How could we do it without him noticing?” Proctor protested. Frieda eyed the two pills and handed them to Proctor. “Listen, we both want to know what Prop 415 is and maybe if Cuckler just took his meds we could find out. What if it’s another disaster as big as Bordex’s rally? One person is already in the hospital from all this Proctor. We have to do it,” Frieda said. Walking over to Cuckler’s office, Frieda gave it a slight knock while looking over to Proctor to make sure he was ready. “Oh, Mr. Cuckler? Could you come out for a second? I just needed some help with some, ah, forms that I don’t understand,” Frieda said in her sweetest voice. There was a grunt and some shuffling before Cuckler stuck his chubby head out the door. He seemed a bit surprised at the friendly mood that had filled the room but could not say no to a smiling Frieda. He followed her over to the desk, all the while grunting and guffawing over her supposed helplessness. Like a flash Proctor ducked inside, dropped the two pills in Cuckler’s morning glass of milk and was back by his desk before Cuckler could even shoot him a glare. Frieda miraculously figured the problem out before anyone could understand what it had been. Cuckler marched back to his office and slammed the door behind him.