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And there it was. Riverford Veterinarian Clinic just up ahead and to the right. The white sign swung softly in the wind, guiding its visitors and clients towards a large, round dirt front drive that had to encompass almost as much space as the clinic itself. It was an older red building in a rectangular shape, with parking at the long side of the building to the right. A crisp, green pasture with some holding chutes spanning the opposite side, empty at the moment.
It looked nothing like the clinics I’d had my other internships at. They’d all been newer and dominated by small-animal clientele due to their location in the middle of cities. Only one clinic during my time training had been mixed practice, much like this one was. I’d known that, when I’d accepted this position, my hands-on practice with large animals was lacking, so I’d taken the time to intensely study up on it. I’d done everything I could to memorize every book I’d been able to snag on the subject before today.
A single white truck was in the parking lot, the bed full of boxes that held medicine and equipment. Medicine and equipment that I had maybe only used once before, if ever.
Parking next to the truck, I slipped out of my car, slung the white coat over my arm, and headed towards the cement patio where the front entrance was. It swung open with a soft tinkle when I pulled the silver handle, and I was immediately hit with the smell of sterilizing agents and animals. A familiar scent that set some of my nerves at ease.
Directly in front of me was the reception desk, with two seats behind it that were unoccupied at the moment. The light brown countertop contrasted well with its dark brown base. Filing cabinets and more counter space rose along the wall behind the reception area. My thick hiking boots that I’d broken in while in vet school squeaked across the light cream flooring. I passed two doors to my right and two doors to my left before stopping beside the reception desk that had first drawn my attention upon entering.
Then the door behind the counter I was leaned up against opened, and out walked the shortest, wiriest man I’d ever seen in my life. One thick hand that was unusually large extended towards me as the older gentleman grinned. His tanned skin was wrinkled and looked stiff like leather, contrasting the bright white hair that sat full upon his head.
“Doctor Tenley Mayn!” he said, his voice shaking but commanding in tone. His smile softened in such a kind way as I reached forward and shook his hand.
“Doctor Jay Smith, I presume?” I asked, and he nodded.
“Call me Doc. Everyone does. You won’t need that white coat much while here. I typically leave mine in my office when one or two of the dogs come in. But overalls and rubber boots, those will be much needed. I ordered ones in your size and they are waiting in your office.” He gestured towards the brown door he’d come through, and I followed him.
The hallway continued past two more doors and a bathroom, opening up into a large area with gray cement flooring covered in black mats and chutes galore. Multiple sizes of stalls for horses and other animals lined one cement wall, kitty-corner to the safe full of medicine and the logbook sitting beside it. Opposite those stalls, were shelves full of different equipment like the centrifuge and microscope; hoses and the like also hung along racks mounted upon the wall. A garage door that could be opened easily sat in the back to the far right. The entire spacious exam area was lit up with bright, fluorescent lights.
Doc gestured to his left, drawing my attention back to the hallway we were standing in. “That’s your new office; mine’s this one to the right. Hurry and drop that off, and grab a pair of overalls and boots. We are headed to our first client of the day.”
I nodded quickly and escaped into the small room. This was mine.
A window sat above a desk across from me, illuminating the newly cleaned dark oak wood. Beside the small computer was the one thing that every graduating veterinarian dreamed of: my name on a plaque. I had done it. Officially a veterinarian. I had ‘DVM’ after my name and everything on a shiny black and gold plaque.
Flinging the white coat across the back of the office chair, I faced my left and found two stacks of boxes containing overalls and two pairs of rubber boots. Grabbing one of each, I left the office and met Doc at the truck outside. Jumping into the passenger seat, I smiled.
“Where to first?” I cheerily replied.
He chuckled.
“The Kanes’ dairy. And if you knew what we had to do today, I don’t think you’d be grinning as widely as you are.” He smiled to himself, turned on the radio with some old eighties country, and drove us down the road.
Chapter 3
He’d been right.
There had been a lot of checking pregnant cattle today. My arm had never been covered in so much manure in my life. It was still fun, and along the way, I began to pick up the different fetus stages simply by feeling, so that was neat. But I understood the need for overalls and rubber boots.
“Well, how was that for your first farm call?” Doc asked as we hosed off the boots and stripped off the overalls before climbing in the truck.
“Not quite what I expected, but good nonetheless,” I replied, grinning, and he smiled.
“You seem to be a natural, even if your resume didn’t have as much large-animal experience as I would’ve liked,” he answered.
I furrowed my brows. “Why did you hire me then?”
He sighed. “One, it was only you who applied. A small town like this isn’t exactly a top pick for veterinarians. But two, your parents are good folks, and when I learned about your father’s cancer around the same time that he shared you were graduating, I figured I’d give you a shot.”
I cringed as if I’d just taken a blow to the gut. So I hadn’t gotten this job on my own personal merit. No, it had been a favor to my parents. I thought I’d escaped that, choosing a career that they had no experience in, working with people they’d never met. I’d even let myself think that it was mere coincidence that this job became available at the most opportune moment.
“This wasn’t a favor though, Tenley,” Doc continued.
“Don’t read my mind,” I grumbled in reply, and I stared out the window at the passing scenery. At least that would never get old; it was absolutely gorgeous.
He chuckled to himself. “The only favor was opening a position up to give you the opportunity to apply. I wouldn’t have hired you if I hadn’t believed you to be competent.”
“But you’ve only ever spoken to me over the phone.” I swung my head at him as he pulled us into the lot at the clinic. A massive gray dually was pulled towards the back with a livestock trailer attached. A couple more cars were parked beside mine as well; new additions since we’d left this morning.
