Before there was Dr. Zeus, there was Dorian Geigel...
The young, bright eyed Dr. Dorian Geigel sat at the table with some of the most brilliant minds in the medical world, wondering how he got here. This was one of the most exclusive of medical conferences in the world, held in Switzerland every April, and this was Dorian's first appearance at the conference. It was sure not to be his last though; in fact, Dorian was asked to give a presentation later in the night on a new drug that was to revolutionize the medical world. For now, though, here Dr. Geigel was, sitting at the head of a very small table of colleagues, all of which were men at least fifteen years older than Dorian. All of these men had graying hair that was quickly getting wispier, bags under their eyes from countless 18 hour shifts, and paunches around their bodies to announce that these men had passed their physical prime. Yet, what his peers lacked in physical stature, they more than made up for in mental alertness. Age had refined their minds, molding them into doctors of dazzling intellect, capable of saving lives in a split decision. Dorian knew that all of these men were considered the best of his field, renown by all as beacons of the medical field. What Dorian didn't know was that these same men also held him with the same esteem.
All his life, Dorian's dream was to become a doctor, and help give hope to those who were hopeless. A boy who didn't grow up with much, Dorian wanted to help those that were just like him. He pushed himself through medical school, all the while knowing that he didn't just want to be a doctor, he
needed to be a doctor. It was one of two jobs that Dorian wanted, and the only job Dorian could feasibly hold in this society. Dorian chased after his dream relentlessly, almost relishing the sleepless nights studying for exams, the night long residencies at run down hospitals, and the exhausting dissertation. But it all proved worth it for Dorian, as he could not only fulfill his dream of being a doctor, but obtain his
real goal in life.
Dorian excelled in psychology courses at his undergraduate school, but his favorite course was actually an English course, examining the impact
Catcher in the Rye had on society. Dorian found Holden Caulfield to be a contemptible wretch; someone who came off more like a spoiled baby than the voice of a generation. The farther Dorian got into the book, the more he resented Holden, until Dorian read this passage-
“Anyway, I keep picturing all these little kids playing some game in this big field of rye and all. Thousands of little kids, and nobody’s around – nobody big, I mean – except me. And I’m standing on the edge of some crazy cliff. What I have to do, I have to catch everybody if they start to go over the cliff – I mean if they’re running and they don’t look where they’re going I have to come out from somewhere and catch them. That’s all I do all day. I’d just be the catcher in the rye and all. I know it’s crazy, but that’s the only thing I’d really like to be.”
Dr. Geigel never bothered to finish the book. He never read the first twenty two chapters again, he never read the last four chapters, and he never found out what Holden became. Instead, every night, before he went to bed, he would read that passage five times. He never wanted to finish the book, because he wanted to believe that Holden did become the catcher in the rye. Dorian wanted to believe that he could become a catcher in the rye, too. He believed that he could save everyone from going over the cliff, catching every child before they could stumble and spiral to their death. Dorian wanted... No, he knew, that this was what he supposed to do. It wasn't just a desire... This was a message, sent by God.
Dorian had never learned that he, just like Holden, misinterpreted the original meaning of the poem.
"Dr. Geigel," bellowed one of the paunchier, wispier haired men, Dr. Collie. This shook Dorian from his idle day dreams, and finally brought him back to the table and his peers. He blinked a few times and shook his head, to fully get his surroundings.
"I have a colleague of mine who's been eager to meet you." The pudgy doctor looked around the table, almost as if to give a signal.
"Would you all mind if Dorian and I were excused from the table for a minute?" The other doctors shook their head politely, offering kind smiles and accepting nods that Dorian and Dr. Collie could leave the table. The two slowly got up from the table, sure to shake the hands of the men they were leaving, and extend their gratitude at meeting these men.
Dr. Collie offered meekly to Dorian as they were walking around round tables filled with doctors,
"Shall I assume that this is a welcome distraction, given how bored you appeared?" Dr. Geigel was shocked that he let slip that he was daydreaming, and blushed out of embarrassment. Dorian was here to make a good impression, and already he was probably going to be considered the space case of the conference. Dr. Collie looked to Dorian, and noticed how ashamed he must have felt.
"Oh, don't worry yourself too much. I'm lucky I haven't fallen asleep at this conference yet." Dorian giggled, and felt a little better. Dr. Collie was an easygoing doctor, who liked to lighten the mood with a joke or two. It was a tactic Dr. Geigel would use with his patients, and something that he appreciated. As they got a little further out of earshot from their table guests, Dr. Collie leaned closer to whisper,
"They can be a little long winded. It comes with age."
Dr. Collie and Dr. Geigel only walked a short distance over to a table seating four men, and two women. As they neared the table, Dr. Collie held out an extended index finger, the universal signal to wait, and whispered into the ear of a fairly large, bald man. This seemed like a scene right out of the Godfather... Which meant that Dorian was possibly the one to get whacked. Well, they did say the medical world was corrupt. Dorian noticed the rippling back muscles of the man, and how much younger he seemed than the rest of his peers. Finally, someone who wouldn't want to go to breakfast tomorrow at Country Kitchen Buffet. As he looked at his back, he also noticed a mask tied around the man's neck, and realized who Dr. Collie had taken him to. As the man turned around, Geigel spotted the unmistakable scar through the eye. Dorian Geigel was about to meet a man he revered very much, Dr. Kurtesy.
Dr. Kurtesy swiftly excused himself from the rest of the table, as did his neighbor, a pretty woman with a radiant smile. Kurtesy had a presence to him that captured your attention, and Dorian had read of the exploits of Dr. Kurtesy and his partner, someone named Sandy Deserts. He revered the man, and quickly realized that this man that Dorian respected very much had actually asked to specifically see Dorian.
"Dr. Geigel," began Dr. Collie,
"I'd like to introduce you to Professor-"
"Dr. Collie-" interrupted Dr. Kurtesy,
"Please, you know how I feel about that title. Dr. Geigel, pleased to meet you. I am Dr. Steven Kurtesy." Dr. Kurtesy offered a massive hand to Dr. Geigel, and smiled a smile that made you feel like he had known you a thousand years. Dorian knew the smile very well; he had been giving it to patients for years. Dr. Collie went back to his table, to let these three speak.
Dr. Geigel smiled at Kurtesy, and looked him right in the eyes, to offer the same smile.
"A pleasure, Dr. Kurtesy."
"Likewise," replied Dr. Kurtesy. He looked over to his friend, about to introduce her to Dorian. "
And this is my...My ..."
"Partner," interjected Sandy.
"I am Dr. Kurtesy's partner, Dr. Sandy Deserts."
"Well, someone's parents loved wordplay," Dr. Geigel teased. Kurtesy snickered, as Sandy feigned annoyance. She rolled her eyes, but offered a tiny smile, to let him know it was clichéd, but that it didn't bother her that much.
"Listen, if you ever have kids, don't try to be cute with their names." Sandy offered a wink to Dorian, to show all was kosher.
"I'll be sure to tell my wife. We're expecting very soon." Dr. Geigel was clearly beaming. He and his wife had wanted children for years, and due to past miscarriages within his wife's family, Dorian was frightened they would never have kids. Now that she had made it thirty weeks without an incident, Dr. Geigel was counting the days until he could bring his son home from the hospital, and he and his wife could have the family they always dreamed of.
"Really? That's great, congratulations. I'm sure she must be ecstatic."
"You'd think, wouldn't you? I was supposed to help paint the nursery this weekend. She may make me sleep in there when /I get back; I may not be lucky enough to get the couch." Dr. Geigel offered a quick laugh over this idea.
"It won't be your last time; from what I hear, you might as well buy an extra bed in the nursery. You'll probably sleep more in that room than your own. So is she painting it alone, then?"
"No, she's waiting for me to come back. But, now she gets to decide the design. She chose a Dr. Seuss theme, so I guess it's going to be pretty colorful."
"Perfect for kids. Well, Sandy and I didn't ask you here for no reason, we wanted to ask about this wonder medicine you're working on."
"We hear it's going to change the way we treat mental illnesses." Sandy looked intently at the stranger; it was evident that Dr. Deserts was just as eager to help others as both Kurtesy and Geigel. Word had been spreading about Dr. Geigel's new drug, a gas that was meant to reverse possible side effects and addiction that comes with prescription pills. It was actually why Geigel was at the conference.
"Ah, I'd love to talk about it now," Geigel offered to Kurtesy, almost apologetically,
"but I really can't say much until my presentation. Besides, the drug's still in the prototype stages; even if I told you any fine details now, we have to tinker with it more to make sure it will actually work."
Dr. Kurtesy looked over to Dr. Deserts, sure that they would get an answer like this. It wasn't as though Dr. Geigel was trying to be a jerk; medicine was just something that was very temperamental. Just because this wonder drug was tangible now, doesn't mean it's feasible.
"Understood; I'm sure this drug will change things up. We were just wondering what you could tell us about this drug, if anything." Dr. Kurtesy chose his words diplomatically, pausing after every sentence.
"Sandy and I, we really feel like this drug could bring inner peace to patients. We're very interested to see how this medicine works."
Dr. Geigel breathed in, trying to settle the butterflies in his stomach. He really didn't want to jinx this, as he was so close to making this medicine a reality.
"Well, I'm sure during my presentation, I can show you better how this drug will work. Maybe after this conference, we could all do dinner, to discuss this more... Discretely, perhaps?" Dr. Geigel looked around at his surroundings, to see if anyone could hear their conversation. This was proprietary information; were it anyone but Kurtesy and Desert, he'd deflect the issue even more.
"That would be nice,"Dr. Kurtesy said with a smile.
"You work at John Hopkins, right? Sandy and I will be visiting in a month or so."
"Great, give me a call when you're in town. If you'd like, I could show you around."
They exchanged numbers and contact information, and shook hands. Dr. Kurtesy and Dr. Deserts sat back down at their table, whispering to one another. This was the apex of Dr. Geigel's career. He got to speak to two doctors he held in high regard, and was now about to present his findings on a wonder drug that could change the world of therapy. At the end of this conference, he would come to his loving (but pissed off) wife, his comfortable job, and his inevitable family life that he had always craved.
It was also the beginning of the end of Dr. Geigel. Soon, Dr. Geigel would die, and Dr. Zeus would take his place. And this was where Dr. Zeus considered himself born, out of the conversation that he felt Dr. Kurtesy and Dr. Deserts had cursed.
