CHAPTER 1: SPRING 1967

The rendezvous was Paris . Those of us who survived the initial third degree and rigorous training that followed would be rewarded by being sent to Africa to risk our lives and hopefully save others . It was my first trip to East of Chicago

Dave flight arrived just as a day was breaking looking below the city was stirring with activities.

An hour later Dave checked his stuff at the Aérogare(airport) . Dave then glanced at his watch.

"Hmm only fifteen minutes to go "Dave muttered to him self

Dave then checked the street map in his hand the final time and sprinted like mad all the way to head quarters of Medicine Internationale .

Dave arrived sweaty but in time for the big interview

"Sit down Dr. Hiller"

Francois Pelletier then irascible grand Inquisitor, was a dead ringer for Don Quixote including the wispy beard . The only difference was his shirt open nearly yo the navel .And the cigarette dangling from his fingers while on his left a baldy who scribbled everything that Dave said and a Dutch woman in her early thirties

During the whole interview Dave was bombarded with questions that were not related to his professional aspect but about his life

Francois was the one to start the ball rolling

"Why did you not burn your draft card during the Vietnam war "?

Huh why would I, did you burn yours when the French we're fighting there before us"?.

"Ok tell me Dr. Hiller do you know we're Ethiopia is"?.

"Please don't insult my intelligence", fired Dave.

"Oh Dr. Hiller what if I told you that the other three Americans I interviewed said it was in South Africa."

Then I will tell you they are assholes .And you shouldn't bother with them.

" Right on both counts". He then jumped on his feet and began to Pace and suddenly stopped and whirled

" Imagine for a moment you are in a run down field hospital, in the wilds of Africa, miles away from everything you ever knew as civilization. How would you keep your sanity"?.

Bach, Dave answered

"What"? asked Francois with a puzzled expression

Johann Sebastian or any of his relative, for that matter I always start my day with fifty pull up fifty sit up and two or three partias and fugues.

"Ah yes . From your FAV I get your auite a musician. Unfortunately our clinics do not include pianos". Said Francois a grin.

That's okay. I can play in my head and get the same buzz . Oh and I got this portable keyboard that I can take with me. It doesn't make any noise . It'll keep my fingers nimble while the music keeps my soul in place"

Well, he mused fixing his gaze on Dave

"You haven't cracked up yet "

"You sound disappointed ". Said Dave smiling

Francois fixed his eyes on Dave an queried

"How about filth, starvation, and appalling disease"?

"I've done my year in the Pits. I think I can take every conceivable medicinal horror show".

"How about leprosy smallpox"?

"No, I admit I've never seen an actual case of either in the state of Michigan". "Are you trying to turn me off"?

" In a way" ,he conceded "because if you are going to freak out it's a lot better to do it here than in the middle of Africa.

Now the Dutch woman decided to put her two cents in.

" Tell me , why would you want to go to the third world when you could be making calls on park avenue"?

"How does wanting to help people grab you"?

"fairly predictable" Sancho the baldy commented and took it down. "Can you come up with something original"?

Dave was rapidly loosing his patience

Then Dave fired back "I thought Medicine Internationale was full of altruistic doctors not pain in the ass cynics

The three interrogators looked at one another and then Francois bluntly ask Dave

" How about sex"?

"Not here Francois,not in front of everybody".Dave retorted

His minions broke into laughter and he did to

"Now that answers the most important question. Dave you have a sense of humor welcome on board".

By this point Dave wasn't sure to be on board. but then he had journeyed so far and gone through crap that he thought he would take the offer and sleep over it.

The next two days to Dave was a shock to his system trying to swallow all the artistic treasures of Paris ,after what seemed like a long day Dave went to bed for what felt like a long time.