[This is an oldie from late September 2010]

“Stay where you are love. I’ll call for an ambulance,” said the tall man

“Fuck off and leave me alone” replied the woman who was obviously injured.

“Nonsense. I can see that you need medical attention. That blow to the head needs some stitches.”

“What are you a fucking doctor or something? Get the hell out of here.”

He laughed.

“No. I’m a special constable. Just on my way to work.”

“Oh no. That’s all I need, a part time pig. I’m ok. I’ll be off in a minute.”

He ignored her and called for an ambulance and a police patrol to attend the scene.

“The paramedics will be here in a few minutes. St Thomas’s is only a short distance away.”

He still had not gotten a good look at her face. She kept it hidden under her increasing matted hair.

A minute or so later, she tried to stand up.

“I’d stay where you are if I were you,” the man suggested.

“I’m going to get up and walk away. Ok? Or are you going to arrest me for that?”

He said nothing.

He knew that she was within her rights.

She tried to get up. She was wearing a now badly scuffed pair of high heels. With a bit of effort, she got to her feet and tried to walk.

The heel on her right shoe gave way and she went tumbling. Luckily (or not) she fell almost right into the arms of the man.

He let her down onto the floor gently and she started sobbing gently.

The ambulance turned up and the two paramedics took over. One of them shooed the man away.

While they were dealing with the woman, a Police Car arrived. This took all the attention of the man who was reporting in great detail what he had seen.

It turned out he had seen the three yobs attack the woman and steal her bag despite her efforts of resistance.

One of the medics called out to the Police Constable who was taking details of the incident.

“We are taking her to Guy's. St Thomas’s is all backed up.”

Without waiting for an answer, he got into the ambulance and with lights flashing and siren blaring; it left the scene of the incident.

[Two hours later]
The A & E Consultant was just finishing putting the last of 9 stitches into the woman’s head wound. A nurse was dressing some deep lacerations on her hands.

The doctor had just finished when another nurse poked her head into the cubicle and said.

“A policeman is here to take a statement. Is she well enough to give it?”

The doctor and the nurse who had been doing the dressing smiled at each other.

“Yes Sister. She can see him now.”

“No, I’m not,” said the patient.

“Now let me out of here.”

“You are not going anywhere. Not until morning at least. You have more than likely been unconscious. We need to keep you in for observation in case there are other injuries. That is standard practice.”

The patient tried to get off the bed.

Just as before, she tried to walk this time in bare stockinged feet and got as far as the end of the bed before she collapsed onto the floor and was sick.

This time it went all over the uniform of the policeman who had just appeared on the scene.

It was the same man who had tried to help her earlier.

She collapsed back onto the bad and started crying.

The nurse helped her settled down while the Policeman went to get cleaned up.
The patient said.

“I can’t talk to the Police. I can’t make a complaint otherwise I’ll have to go to court and explain everything. Then I’ll probably lose my job or at least have to resign.”

“Nonsense,” said the nurse in a matter of fact way.

“We get people like you in here all the time. Mostly falling off their heels but occasionally get a case like yours. What job do you do that would cause you to lose it if it came out in court?”

“I’m a policeman. City of London Force. CID”

The nurse came over all serious in an instant.

“Oh shit. Then I’d better try to put him off. I’ll tell him that you are not in a fit state and that he is to some back in the morning.”

“Thanks. The names Julian by the way.”

She laughed.

“What do you call yourself when you are dressed like that?”

“Tracy,” she replied in a matter of fact way.

“Well Tracy, I’m Charlotte. I’ll put Tracy down on your records. Now get some rest. I’ll get a porter to take you to the observation ward in a while.”

“What about the policeman?”

“I’ll deal with him. Don’t worry.”

The nurse fluttered her eyebrows.

They both had a little giggle.

Then Tracy laid back and closed her eyes.

[The following morning]

“Hello Tracy. How are we feeling this morning?” asked Charlotte.

“Not so bad,” she grumbled.

“Let me look at you?”

Tracy sat up in the bed.

“You are going to have a bit of explaining to do when you get into work. You really have been roughed up a bit.”

“Oh shit. What time is it?”

“A little after 09:00am”

“Bugger! I’m due in court at 10:30”

Charlotte laughed.

“Not like that you are not.”

Tracy pulled back the covers and got out of bed.

“Aren’t we forgetting something?”

“Eh?”

“Two things actually. One a word of thanks to me for getting rid of the policeman last night.”

“Thanks Charlotte. What is the other?”

“If you will agree to have dinner with me at my place. Just Charlotte & Tracy, I’ll give you this.”

She held up a plastic carried bag. It was obviously full of mens clothes.

“I guessed your sizes. These are what an ex of mine left behind when he did a bunk a year or so ago.”

Tracy let out a big sigh.

“Thanks Charlotte.”

She made a reach for the bag.

“And?”

Charlotte kept the bag out of Tracy’s reach.

“Thanks for bringing the clothes. Yes, I’ll have dinner with you. What about next Friday?”

“Can’t do Friday, I’m on the late shift. Saturday is fine though. I’m off all day.”

“Saturday it is then. Thanks again.”

Charlotte left Tracy alone to change the replacement clothes.

As the now male looking Tracy left the ward, Charlotte blocked his path.

“I’ve put my contact details and the directions to my place in the trousers pocket. What do I call you in normal life?”

“Julian. Julian Winter.”

Charlotte stuck out a hand.

“Pleased to meet you Julian. I’ll see you on Saturday.”

Then without thinking who might be watching, Charlotte gave him a little peck on the cheeks.

Then she whispered.

“May you never have to go through all that again on your own. You are not alone you know. There are more of us around than you might think.”

Before Julian could reply, Charlotte turned on her heels and left him standing there gawping like a drowning fish.

[The End]