Chapter One

At six forty-five a.m., the air was already warming. Virginia's summers are usually uncomfortably hot, sticky, and humid, especially in the city. This July Monday in Richmond was no exception. Obie Hardy crossed the intersection as the light turned green and turned into the McGuire Veterans Hospital entrance. He drove slower than the other vehicles entering the hospital complex because he was searching for the parking area designated for medical students. The frequent speed bumps were welcomed, helping conceal his unfamiliarity by forcing him to slow down. After three-quarters of a lap around the complex, he found what he believed to be the appropriate lot and parked his gray-blue Chevette. He gathered his equipment that he had assembled, trying to anticipate any possible need that could arise, since this was to be his first experience at taking care of patients. He donned his white jacket—essentially a short-sleeved, snapup, smock-like garment he felt was more fitting for a dentist than a physician. Most medical students wore this type of jacket, probably because they were the cheapest and lightweight, and all their pocket references and medical instruments could be carried easily. Obie liked these jackets because they were cool cotton and unpretentious, not wishing to create an image he could not live up to. Outfitted in his jacket, pockets full of paraphernalia, and black bag in hand, he walked up the sidewalk to the Veterans Hospital, Ward 63, Psychiatry.

The McGuire Veterans Administration Hospital, VAH, was typical of the 1940's style government buildings. It could e