Doogie Howser, Kid Doctor

"I understand that you're tired, but why don't you just do what you're told?!" Screamed the Driver's Ed teacher, Mr. Cooper.

"Sheesh!" Cried Vinnie, "It was just a lousy deer, get over it!" He sniffed, angrily and ran his fingers through his sleek, dark hair. Driving around the practice track was NOT Vinnie's forte.

"One more 'sheesh' outta you, kid, and I'm giving up altogether!" Mr. Cooper's voice almost disappeared from screaming so much.

Vinnie chuckled a little, "Yeah, and one more scream outta you and you'll never be able to tell your wife you love her again." He chuckled again some more and added, "And she won't say it to you, either, if your face gets frozen in that position."

Mr. Cooper suddenly looked calm, "Delpino..." he took a long, deep breath, "should we let Douglas have a try, and then you can step up and try again." His voice was obviously holding back his rage.

Vinnie nodded, "Yeah. This won't take long anyways." He leaned forward to Mr. Cooper's face, and as he spoke, the red-faced teacher's eyeglasses fogged up, "He's the smartest kid in the whole universe."

Mr. Cooper rolled his eyes, "Anyone is compared to you, kid."

Vinnie smile as if this remark were a compliment. He put his hands on his chest, "Well, Mr. Coopa. I'm t'rilled! I've never been compared to Doog before."

Mr. Cooper's eye twitched, "Just..." he breathed in deeply, again, "just go and tell him we're ready for him!"

Vinnie saluted and ran to Doogie, his short legs moving quicker than the wheels on his car ever did.

"Doog!" He shouted, out of breath, "The driver guy says that he is ready for you."

Doogie smiled, "Oh cool! Thanks." He patted Vinnie on the back and started walking towards the track, but then turned around and said, "Hey, Vinnie! Wanna come and watch?"

Vinnie looked over at Mrs. Howser, "Is that ok with you, Mrs. H? You know how short I am and you definitely don't want Doog runnin' over me, do ya?"

Mrs. Howser smiled, "Go ahead, Vinnie."

Vinnie shrugged and followed Doogie back to the track.

"Hello, Mr. Howser." Mr. Cooper said, cheerfully.

Vinnie whispered in Doogie's ear, "He never called ME mister! Just 'kid'. Now how bout that! Already gettin' prejudiced against the short people!"

Doogie whispered back, "Maybe if you acted more mature, Vinnie, people would address you more formally."

Vinnie shook his head, "Not everyone can be perfect like YOU, Doog." He patted his back and pushed him forward, "Now, go run over some deer!"

Doogie shook his head and smiled at Vinnie's joke. He walked up to Mr. Cooper and shook his hand, "It's very nice to meet you, Mr. Cooper."

Mr. Cooper nodded and shook his hand back, "Nice to meet you, too! Now, why don't you hop inside the car and we'll have a look see here."

Doogie nodded and entered the light gray automobile and quicker than he finished high school, Doogie passed the test. Now he just had to see if he could drive the car on the road.

"Oh cool!" Vinnie exclaimed, "Can I drive with ya?"

Doogie glanced over at Mr. Cooper, who shrugged his shoulders, reluctantly.

"I guess so, yeah." Doogie said, and he hopped into the car. Vinnie climbed into the back and hugged Doogie from behind.

"You're a great friend, ya know that, right?" He said.

Doogie pulled Vinnie's hands away, "And you almost suffocated me with your puffy jacket sleeve!"

"I can't help it! I like to hug people, I'm Italian, it's what I do!"

"Well, no hugging while I'm driving or you'll get us in an accident!"

Vinnie shrugged, "I already knew that. I just wanted to thank you, gosh! So emotional." he shook his head.

Doogie glared at him through the rear view mirror, then started up the car. Mr. Cooper got in the passenger seat and smiled, excitedly, "This is the FIRST time in YEARS I've had a student that passed this quickly!"

"Yeah, that's what they all say..." Vinnie said, sounding jealous.

"Well, I am glad I made you proud, Mr. Cooper." Doogie said, keeping his eyes on the road.

"Oh, you did! Yes you did, Douglas!" Mr. Cooper exclaimed, excitedly.

Doogie smiled. He was just like that. Doogie Howser was an excellent student no matter what he was learning. He was a good, genuine, well-behaved, respectable kid. Vinnie would always say that, "If Doog looked in the mirror, it'd be Good". Maybe his mother purposely made it so that Good would be Doog backwards, but then again, only Vinnie called him by that nickname.

Doogie rammed his foot against the break and the car came to a sudden stop.

"What on earth!?" Screamed Mr. Cooper.

"Woah, there, Doog! I felt like I just got off the Scare-O-Matic at the carnival!" Vinnie yelled.

"There's a car accident!" Doogie shouted. "Right up there! We came this close to crashing into their car as well." Suddenly his eyes widened, "And someone's injured!"

Doogie rushed out of the car and ran up to the broken down car. Smoke was rising out of all the openings, and gas was leaking out the bottom. Doogie covered his mouth and nose with his sleeve and peered inside the window.

"Ma'am?" He shouted, loud enough for the woman inside to hear. "I'm going to get you out of here, don't worry!"

The woman, covered in cuts and scrapes and bruises, managed to nod a little after Doogie spoke. He tore open the door and gently picked up the injured woman. He carried her over to a grassy area near the side of the road and placed her carefully on the ground.

"Now, I'm going to check your pulse, ok?" He said.

The woman nodded.

Doogie put his finger tips on her wrist and timed her pulse. Her heartbeat was faster than it should have been.

"Now, I'm just going to take a look at these injuries. No need to fuss, ok? We are going to be nice and calm about this. Alright?" He spoke so gently and soothingly that the woman almost seemed better already. She nodded again. Doogie put up his finger, "You just wait here."
He ran back to the car and pulled out a suitcase, and not hesitating, he ran back to the woman.

"I've got some stuff in here that will help you. Some of it may sting you a little, but that's about all the pain you will experience, is that okay with you?"

The woman nodded. She swallowed, her throat sounding a bit dry, and asked, "Are you a doctor?"

Doogie nodded, "Yes, ma'am, I am. I am a resident surgeon at Eastman Medical Center. You can trust me."

The woman shook her head and laid it back down on the grass, "I must be seeing things..."

"What do you mean?" Doogie asked.

The woman looked back up, "What is your name?" she asked.

Doogie began tending to her wounds as he replied, "Douglas Howser."

"Douglas as in Doogie?" She inquired.

"Yes, ma'am. I assume you have read all about me." He sounded a bit annoyed.

"More than that." she replied.

Doogie got out an alcohol swab and started wiping the blood and dust and such off of her face. She suddenly became recognizable to him.

"Are you--?"

"Yeah. Its me alright, kiddo!" She replied, "Nurse Janice. And now look at this! My patient is now taking care of ME! We live in a strange world, Doogie."

Doogie smiled and nodded, "Yes, ma'am, we do." He continued to tend to her wounds.

"I knew you'd do great things one day! And in case you were wondering, I've told the newspapers so much about you! All those things you said to me when you were at the hospital!" Janice giggled, "You were so cute! Oh, but don't get me wrong! You are still just as cute as ever! And that head of yours never ceases to amaze me!"

Doogie suddenly looked a bit annoyed. He pointed at her, "Don't bring it up. Too many people say I have a big head, and I agree to disagree."

Janice smiled, "Still such a smarty-pants,too."

Doogie nodded, "I can't help it. I'm a genius."

He finished cleaning her up just as Vinnie and Mr. Cooper walked up beside him.

"I called the ambulance. They can come and pick her up shortly." Mr. Cooper said. He put his hand on Doogie's shoulder, "You are truly an amazing kid."

Doogie smiled, but did not know what to say.

"OH Doog! So modest!" Vinnie said, "I'll say what he's t'inkin'! He's t'inkin' that without ME, he'd be nowhere! Idd'nt that right, Doog?"

Doogie shrugged and cleared his throat, "Uh, yeah. Something like that."