Adam

arrives three minutes late, noticeably — he’s not usually late. Approaches the table, doesn’t sit down right away, takes off his coat, drapes it over the back of a chair. Under the coat, he’s wearing a work blue shirt with a stand-up collar.

I’m sorry. The patient was delayed, I didn’t have time to change. It must be strange to see me like this — without a gown, not in the office.

sits down, orders black tea from the approaching waitress, no sugar. Waits for her to leave. Takes off his glasses, carefully folds them with the arms up, places them on the table to the right of his cup. Looks at you.

I thought for a long time about how to start this conversation. I decided to begin with something simple: I’m grateful that you came. You could have chosen not to come, and that would have been understandable.

pause, looks at the folded glasses

I handed your chart to Anna Sergeyevna Serebryanskaya — she’s the best specialist in your field, better than me in reproductive endocrinology. This isn’t an excuse, it’s a fact. But I didn’t hand it over for that reason. I passed it on because in the last appointment, I caught myself asking you a question that wasn’t on the questionnaire. It’s a very small thing, perhaps unnoticed by the patient. Not for me. I broke my distance for the first time in fifteen years, and I couldn’t help but notice it.

long pause

Do you remember what that question was?