The Other One

During my time in Crete, I had the privilege of assisting many amazing veterinary surgeons. This concerns the one who carried the sobriquet of the Other One

I had for some years assisted a veterinary surgeon who then relocated to work in another country, so I thought that my services were not required, and total retirement beckoned. Then came the email.

The vet informed me that she had sought permission to speak to me as I was now available and asked if I would be willing to be her assistant. I was naturally flattered but wary, very wary. You see, she came with something of a reputation for being difficult, and many didn’t want to work with her. She was reputed to be extremely temperamental and highly volatile, with a repertoire of cutting responses guaranteed to intimidate even the most stalwart of individuals. This was not a lady to be taken lightly.

It turned out that she was an extremely attractive lady—a tall, slim blonde with a dazzling smile. But was I being lulled into a false sense of security?

Not a people person

I discovered very early that her reputation was unjustified; she wasn’t a people person. It wasn’t that she was naturally unpleasant or rude by nature. She was, however, an exceptionally talented veterinary surgeon, so dedicated to her profession that she considered the behaviour of the majority of humans irrational, illogical, and not in the best interests of animals. This led her to speak her mind regardless of who she offended, which contributed to her reputation as someone who was confrontational and awkward to be around.

Whilst her main expertise was neutering, accidents and emergencies were not uncommon occurrences, and I assisted her as she effortlessly carried out some of the most complex surgical procedures under the most challenging conditions. So good was she that even qualified vets benefited from her tutelage. An old adage says that there are some surgeons so good that they can operate on a kitchen table with little more than a fruit knife. A slight exaggeration, but it would definitely apply to the Other One.

Surgical procedures can be a difficult thing to predict the time that would be taken and as the days progressed some of those waiting their turn could be heard to start to complain.  In order to pacify irate or difficult individuals and keep them away from the vet I developed a system. I always asked them the same question.

“Do you want a veterinary surgeon with a nice bedside manner, or do you want the very best veterinary surgeon?”

The answer was always the same. Let’s be honest; it’s a no-brainer of a question.

“I want the best.”

“Let me tell you, I have been around veterinary surgeons for over 40 years, and this lady is one of the finest surgeons I have ever worked with, and as you have agreed, the priority is the quality of the vet.”

With that, even the most offended owner sat quietly and waited patiently for their turn. It worked every time, we all want the best for our animals just as we want the finest doctors when our own health is concerned.

I was regularly asked the inevitable question.

“How do you manage to work with her every day?”

The answer was so simple.

The Other One always showed me complete courtesy and respect. We never had a cross word.

Our time together

Over the years there were many neutering campaigns, however one stood out and not for the obvious reasons.

We were engaged for work in Thessaloniki in northern Greece. This entailed a ferry to the mainland, followed by an eight-hour drive. As we met at the ferry terminal I was surprised to see that she was towing a trailer with items needed for Thessaloniki, I was really alarmed when she told me that she could not reverse!! Fortunately, the road from Athens to Thessaloniki is straight, almost like a motorway, so reversing should not be a problem.m

However, I immediately saw the obvious difficulty. Entering a ferry requires the driver to manoeuvre their vehicle, and sometimes, the spaces are rather tight, so my boss’s confession was slightly alarming. If I didn’t know that under normal circumstances, she was a superb driver, I might have declined to accompany her on this trip.

Little did I know that I was to witness something that few of us males get to see. What I was to observe was worthy of an Oscar. You see the Other One took immense pride in being the very best in any activity, despite being German she even read books in English to ensure her grasp of the English language was of the highest standard, she was a brilliant veterinary surgeon and normally an exceptional driver. She was a committed vegan and a teetotaller, in fact I had never known her show any weakness in any form. Now, add acting to her list of accolades.

This was going to be interesting, as from personal experience, I know that the men in charge of loading vehicles are under enormous pressure to load so many cars and lorries in a very short amount of time. We boarded the ferry, and the man in the high-visibility jacket pointed to where he wanted our car and trailer.

My boss leaned out of the window and informed the loader that she could not reverse.

Her whining voice was in total contrast to the confident sound that I had come to know. Fortunately, The man in the high-viz jacket understood some English, but even if he hadn’t, he had probably seen and heard it many times. The loader indicated that she should alight the vehicle, and he jumped up and reversed into an impossibly tight space.

My boss positively gushed.

“You are SO clever. I don’t know how you did that. You are amazing!!” He was rewarded with a dazzling smile.

The man in the high visibility jacket acknowledged the plaudits, and his chest swelled with pride.

As we went to find our cabin, I noticed my boss fastening the top button on her blouse. Coincidence? I caught her eye, but her look said it all. Don’t! And I never mentioned it again—until now.

The ferry trip passed without incident, and we alighted without any problems. We arrived in Thessaloniki several hours later, but not before we had had to navigate a dreaded Greek diversion. For anyone who has never driven in Greece be warned. The Greek version starts with a sign with an arrow pointing toward the alternative route; unfortunately, after that initial sign, you are left to work out which way to go. Ok for locals, but a nightmare for visitors. Having passed the same herd of goats for the third time, who viewed us with disdain for interrupting their breakfast, we realised our mistake and finally found the correct road.

We were met by the resident veterinary surgeon, Costas, and his daughter, Maria. Although I had met them before, I still had that rather British reserve and found being kissed on both cheeks by a man slightly off-putting. This was made worse by the fact that Costas hadn’t shaved for around three days!!

The days passed without incident, but it was notable for the sheer size of the dogs, the smallest being a very large labrador. Just getting these animals on the operating table was an exercise in weight lifting, and by the end of the first day, I was wondering if the charity would pay for a massage, preferably by one of those very nice oriental ladies who walk on your back. Unfortunately, I was informed that this would not be a proper use of funds, so they bought me a Chinese beer instead!!

It transpired that these very large dogs roam the streets at will, giving the appearance of being well fed, sleeping outside shops or in doorways, and, to my surprise, seem to be accepted by the locals, who took the view that if the strays don’t cause a problem, then they would be left alone.

The Other One has started a family, and although we keep in touch, I don’t see her anymore. I’m sure that she is a great mum, but what parenting has gained, the veterinary profession has lost.