Short Novel

Chapter 1

“Here is your office; please come in,” said the head of the hospital`s Department of Mental Health, ushering me inside. “You have a phone, a computer, two chairs: one for yourself, the other for the patient. If you would like, Adam, you can move the table somewhere else to be more comfortable, as long as the door is easily accessible to you in case of emergency, so that the patient would not be able to block your exit. By the way, underneath the table, right here, you see, there is a panic button to sound the alarm. Do not forget to check if it is working.  Overall, it’s quite safe here. However, proper safety measures should be followed. In a psychiatric clinic one has to be ready for anything.”

“Yes, yes, I understand. I am not a newbie; I already have some experience in this field. I spent a first year working as an intern in an outpatient psych clinic in Harlem, and completed my second internship in the detox unit of Bellevue hospital, where I have come across some things as well,” I replied, looking over my new office.

I lifted the phone receiver to make sure that it’s connected; then I opened and closed the top table shelf.

“You can obtain pens, folders, basically all office supplies from the secretary,” the director added.

“Thank you,” I replied, sitting down into the black chair with a high back. I pressed the handle underneath the seat to adjust the height.

“Are you ready to see patients?” asked the director jokingly.

Unexpectedly the door opened, and there entered a…

“Adam, allow me to introduce Mrs. Jennifer Levy. She will be your supervisor for the duration of the year,” the boss said.