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Aug. 2nd, 2006 08:45 pmAlice looks up from her reception desk as a large, middle-aged woman walks into the department, dragging an eighteen year old boy in one arm and a sixteen year old in the other.
"Excuse me miss." she says to the bewildered receptionist. "Is Dr Sandhu around. We need a chat."
Alice blinks. "Um, yeah, he's... oh he's just over there." she says, pointing in relief to the young doctor emerging from the staff room with an interesting looking black eye. He glances up as the woman drags the boys in front of him, stepping back as he recognises them.
The woman continues to hold her sons.
"Dr Sandhu is it? I'm Mrs Highfield, William and Jason's mother. Don't look so nervous, they've got something to say to you. Haven't you."
Guppy glances at the older boy, who looks decidedly moody and, unlike yesterday, less inclined to hit him. The younger one, hands now bandaged, has his face buried in his hood.
"'ry" mutters the younger. His mother pulls his hood down.
"Say it properly Jason."
"Sorryforcallingyoufilthy"
"And you William."
The one called William scowls. Then reluctantly.
"Sorry for hitting you. And shoving the nurse."
Guppy watches with a degree of bemusement. Whilst he has grudgingly accepted that patients will now and again take a potshot at him for the crime of existance, it's something new for their mothers to come back the next day and make them apologise. He realises it's his move.
He takes a deep breath.
"Well thank you for apologising, but this is still a serious offence. And to be honest, neither of you seem very sorry. How am I to know this won't happen again?"
There is an awkward pause, then Mrs Highfield sends the boys off to the vending machine and puts a large arm around Guppy.
"Listen love, I know you've had a bit of a hard time, and I am sorry about your eye. But you don't look much older than my lads and they're just kids. Boys will be boys."
Guppy tactfully removes himself from the arm.
"Yes, but they're sixteen and eighteen, which is quite old enough to know better. And William didn't just assault me, he assaulted Tess as well. And an apology forced out of him, although it does count in his favour, doesn't excuse it. I don't see why either of us should have to put up with racial abuse at work."
The woman looks crestfallen.
"You're still pressing charges?"
"Do you want your son to grow up as a racist thug?"
"No, of course not."
"Then you should understand why I'm pressing charges."
"Excuse me miss." she says to the bewildered receptionist. "Is Dr Sandhu around. We need a chat."
Alice blinks. "Um, yeah, he's... oh he's just over there." she says, pointing in relief to the young doctor emerging from the staff room with an interesting looking black eye. He glances up as the woman drags the boys in front of him, stepping back as he recognises them.
The woman continues to hold her sons.
"Dr Sandhu is it? I'm Mrs Highfield, William and Jason's mother. Don't look so nervous, they've got something to say to you. Haven't you."
Guppy glances at the older boy, who looks decidedly moody and, unlike yesterday, less inclined to hit him. The younger one, hands now bandaged, has his face buried in his hood.
"'ry" mutters the younger. His mother pulls his hood down.
"Say it properly Jason."
"Sorryforcallingyoufilthy"
"And you William."
The one called William scowls. Then reluctantly.
"Sorry for hitting you. And shoving the nurse."
Guppy watches with a degree of bemusement. Whilst he has grudgingly accepted that patients will now and again take a potshot at him for the crime of existance, it's something new for their mothers to come back the next day and make them apologise. He realises it's his move.
He takes a deep breath.
"Well thank you for apologising, but this is still a serious offence. And to be honest, neither of you seem very sorry. How am I to know this won't happen again?"
There is an awkward pause, then Mrs Highfield sends the boys off to the vending machine and puts a large arm around Guppy.
"Listen love, I know you've had a bit of a hard time, and I am sorry about your eye. But you don't look much older than my lads and they're just kids. Boys will be boys."
Guppy tactfully removes himself from the arm.
"Yes, but they're sixteen and eighteen, which is quite old enough to know better. And William didn't just assault me, he assaulted Tess as well. And an apology forced out of him, although it does count in his favour, doesn't excuse it. I don't see why either of us should have to put up with racial abuse at work."
The woman looks crestfallen.
"You're still pressing charges?"
"Do you want your son to grow up as a racist thug?"
"No, of course not."
"Then you should understand why I'm pressing charges."
