The Doctor

The doctor hurried into the hospital after being called in for an immediate surgery on a little boy. He answered the call as soon as possible, changed his clothes, and went directly to the surgery block. On the way, he met the boy’s father who yelled, “What took you so long to get here? Don’t you know that my son’s life is in danger? Don’t you have any sense of responsibility?”

The doctor calmly replied, “I’m sorry. I wasn’t in the hospital when the call came in and I came as fast as I could after receiving the call. And now, I wish you’d calm down so I can do my work.”

“Calm down? What if your son was in the surgery room right now? Would you calm down? If your own son were to die, what would you do?” asked the father angrily.

The doctor responded, “I would say, ‘Go and pray for your son, and we will do our best by God’s grace.'”

“That’s easy for you to say,” murmured the father, “giving advice when you’re not involved or concerned.”

Some hours later, when the doctor finished the surgery, he came out and told the father, “Thank goodness! Your son will be okay.” And without waiting for the father’s reply, he rushed toward the hospital door, saying, “If you have any question, ask the nurse.”

When the nurse came in the room, all the father could say was, “What arrogance! The doctor couldn’t even spend a few minutes to discuss my son’s condition.”

The nurse answered, with tears coming down her face: “His son died two days ago in an accident. He was in the midst of the funeral when we called him for your son’s surgery. And now that he saved your son’s life, he left running so he could be there to finish up his son’s burial.”