Doogie Howser, Kid Doctor

"Dr. Howser, please report to Dr. Canfield's office." The speaker on the wall spoke loud and clear.

Doogie, in his long, white doctor coat, and beat-up, white Nike sneakers, immediately obeyed his orders. He rushed through the hallways of the Eastman Medical Center, dodging nurses and doctors, as well as sick patients wheeling around the equipment that kept them alive. He made it to Canfield's door and straightened his tie. Smoothing back his curly, blond hair, he knocked on the door.

"Come in!" Came Canfield's voice.

Doogie walked into his boss's office and smiled, "You wanted me, sir?" He asked.

"Yes, Douglas. Please, take a seat." Canfield pointed to a chair in front of his desk and Doogie gladly took it. "Now...I read the story about your heroic rescue on the highway."

"I was just doing my job, sir." Doogie replied, casually.

"Yes, I know." Canfield said, "But...there's something I need to ask you, Dr. Howser."

Doogie straightened himself and sat up in the chair, "Yes, sir?"

"We can't afford to create our own superhero here at the Eastman Medical Center." Dr. Canfield stood up from his chair and walked to the window, looking out into the city. "We don't want patients coming in here just to see the famous 'Super-Doogie!'"

Doogie tried hard not to laugh, then replied, "But, sir--I--"

Canfield silenced him, "Now, Doogie, just let me finish." He cleared his throat and started again, "I understand that you were just doing your job, Dr. Howser. However, in these articles" --he picked up a newspaper and handed it to Doogie-- "there are many, many interviews with you. I see that you quite enjoy participating in all of this. Am I wrong?"

Doogie shook his head, "Oh, no sir. I just thought that I should answer their questions. I never really thought that they were trying to make me a 'super hero'." He gestured air quotes in the air.

"Well, that's exactly what you've become, Douglas. You have become a celebrity, and it must stop as soon as possible. We want the sick and ONLY the sick to come here. Not the people that want your autograph!" Dr. Canfield slammed his hand on the table at his last word.

Doogie jumped, "I-I-I am really sorry, sir. I was not aware that this would upset you so much..."

"Well it does. It really does." Dr. Canfield shook his head and took his hands off the table. He sat back down on his chair and stared at Doogie's eyes for a moment. "Dr. Howser...."

"Yes, sir?" Doogie squirmed a bit.

"I am afraid I need to let you go for a while..."

Doogie's expression turned disappointed. He swallowed with the intent of speaking again, but Canfield interrupted, "Douglas," he walked around the desk and put his hands on his shoulder, "You are a GOOD doctor. But you better stop pretending to be a hero."

Doogie tried as hard as he could to not argue. He just stood up and walked to the door.

"When can I come back?" He asked.

"I'll call you." Replied Canfield.

Doogie nodded and walked out the door, accidentally bumping into a nurse named Curly Spaulding. Spaulding jumped, "Oh! Hey, Doogie!" She said.

"Were you listening in?" He asked as if he already knew the answer.

"Well..." Spaulding smiled, "maybe?"

Doogie smiled and shook his head, "Well, then you know the WHOLE story, huh?"

Spaulding nodded, "Yep. I'm so sorry, sweet heart!" She gave him a hug and a kiss on the cheek, "I sure do hope he brings you back soon!"

"Yeah, me too." Doogie replied, "I just...I just don't understand, you know? He is being VERY weird right now and I-I-I just don't know how to say it."

Spaulding scrunched her nose up, cutely, "I'll have a talk with him. How's that sound?"

Doogie smiled, "Maybe you could knock some sense into him better than I could."

"I bet I can." Spaulding replied, "You go and be a teenager for a while and I'll talk with your boss. Go! Go ahead, have some fun for a change."

"Alright. I'll see you later, Spaulding." Doogie waved goodbye and walked out the door.

Spaulding waved with her fingers, sweetly, then turned around and stormed into Dr. Canfield's office, with a sudden change of mood.

"DOCTOR CANFIELD!" She shouted, furiously, "How COULD you LET Doogie GO LIKE THAT?"

Dr. Canfield jumped in surprise, nearly spilling his coffee on his white shirt, "Well, Nurse Spaulding, I--"

"No, no, no! Don't even THINK about it! What were you thinking!" Spaulding put up her finger, "Oh, no wait! I know! You were jealous! You are so jealous of him! Admit it!"

Dr. Canfield sat there for about a minute and then replied, "Alright! Maybe you're right about that!"

Spaulding smiled, "Ha! I knew it! And now he feels like he's on vacation. So joke's on YOU, Canfield!"

Dr. Canfield frowned, "What? What do you mean?"

Spaulding calmed down a bit and said, "I told him to go have fun. What bad can come out of that? I bet he won't be doctoring for a whole week! I bet that he will be having NOTHING but FUN and NO MEDICAL NEEDS AT ALL will be coming at him this week! He will just have a nice week to relax!"

Maybe Spaulding should have thought twice before she spoke.