Read Online The Trial of Dr. Kate by Michael E. Glasscock III - Free Book Online Page A
Authors: Michael E. Glasscock III
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DTs is twenty-five percent.”
“Does Kingman know what’s going on?” Shenandoah asked.
“No. He wouldn’t care if I died in his rotten jail.”
“Why does he hate you?”
“It’s a long story.”
“I’ll listen.”
* * *
WPA workers built the Round Rock High School in 1936 when Kate was a sophomore. The water tower, where the city stored water from the deep wells at its base, stood like a sentinel across the street. The town’s name, painted in big black letters on the body of the tower, could be seen from miles away.
In high school, Kate and Army Johnson dated on a steady basis, so most boys were afraid to approach her. There was one exception. Jasper Kingman, a junior that year, was a bitter enemy of Army Johnson, and they fought constantly both on and off the athletic field.
Kate made a habit of studying in the library after school for an hour before returning to her father’s clinic. Jasper Kingman found her there on a Thursday afternoon and pulled out a chair opposite hers.
Grinning like a village idiot and leaning forward on his elbows, he said, “Army ain’t around, Katie girl, so I think I’ll get in your pants.”
She looked up from her work. “What did you say?”
“You heard me.”
“You’d better get out of here, Jasper.”
“What’re you going to do, call your boyfriend?”
Just then, Mr. Applewhite, the principal, entered the room, and Kate glanced in his direction. Jasper smiled and got up. “There’s plenty of time, girl. I ain’t graduating ‘til next year.”
The next day, as the students were changing classes, Jasper walked up behind Kate, pinched her derriere, and strolled on by. She watched in shock as he sauntered down the hall.
For the next week, Jasper went out of his way to harass Kate. He would shove her into a wall, pinch her, or knock her books to the floor. The final insult occurred at lunchtime on a Friday. Kate and two of her girlfriends were walking down the stairs from their second floor American history class when Jasper sidled up to her, threw his arms around her shoulders, and planted a wet kiss on her lips. Several of his friends stood at the bottom of the stairs and cheered.
Kate’s reaction was swift. She brought her right knee up into Jasper’s crotch with all her might, doubling him over. As he lowered his head, she brought her knee up again, breaking his nose and causing him to tumble backward down the stairs.
She looked down on his prostrate body, blood flowing from his nose, and shouted, “Don’t you ever touch me again, you goddamned bully, or I’ll slit your throat!”
Jasper’s friends bent double with laughter, and one of them tried to help him up. When Jasper stood, he slipped in his own blood and fell. That brought more laughter and a flush to Jasper’s face.
Kate’s friends began to heckle Jasper and taunt him: “Big bully let a girl beat him up. Big bully let a girl beat him up.”
Kate tossed her blonde curls over her shoulder and said loudly, “I guess you thought I’d get Army to fight my battles. I fight my own.”
* * *
Shenandoah laughed. “That explains it all. Wonder why I never heard that story.”
“I doubt Jasper or his friends wanted to spread the word, and I had my revenge already. I never told Army.”
“How have you been able to keep your drinking from Jasper?”
“Jasper is afraid of Army. He’s not about to challenge him. And Masterson is on my side. He helps me hide it from Jasper because I saved his little girl when she came down with a severe case of pneumonia.”
Taking Kate’s hand in hers, Shenandoah said, “I’m sorry if I came off as sanctimonious. I was just shocked to learn you have a drinking problem. Has it affected your work?”
“Most of the time it hasn’t, but I’d be lying if I told you it never did. The blackouts have been very worrisome. Sometimes I can’t account for two or three days. Nurse Little and Jazz Boldt cover for me a lot. Believe me, this thing with
“Does Kingman know what’s going on?” Shenandoah asked.
“No. He wouldn’t care if I died in his rotten jail.”
“Why does he hate you?”
“It’s a long story.”
“I’ll listen.”
* * *
WPA workers built the Round Rock High School in 1936 when Kate was a sophomore. The water tower, where the city stored water from the deep wells at its base, stood like a sentinel across the street. The town’s name, painted in big black letters on the body of the tower, could be seen from miles away.
In high school, Kate and Army Johnson dated on a steady basis, so most boys were afraid to approach her. There was one exception. Jasper Kingman, a junior that year, was a bitter enemy of Army Johnson, and they fought constantly both on and off the athletic field.
Kate made a habit of studying in the library after school for an hour before returning to her father’s clinic. Jasper Kingman found her there on a Thursday afternoon and pulled out a chair opposite hers.
Grinning like a village idiot and leaning forward on his elbows, he said, “Army ain’t around, Katie girl, so I think I’ll get in your pants.”
She looked up from her work. “What did you say?”
“You heard me.”
“You’d better get out of here, Jasper.”
“What’re you going to do, call your boyfriend?”
Just then, Mr. Applewhite, the principal, entered the room, and Kate glanced in his direction. Jasper smiled and got up. “There’s plenty of time, girl. I ain’t graduating ‘til next year.”
The next day, as the students were changing classes, Jasper walked up behind Kate, pinched her derriere, and strolled on by. She watched in shock as he sauntered down the hall.
For the next week, Jasper went out of his way to harass Kate. He would shove her into a wall, pinch her, or knock her books to the floor. The final insult occurred at lunchtime on a Friday. Kate and two of her girlfriends were walking down the stairs from their second floor American history class when Jasper sidled up to her, threw his arms around her shoulders, and planted a wet kiss on her lips. Several of his friends stood at the bottom of the stairs and cheered.
Kate’s reaction was swift. She brought her right knee up into Jasper’s crotch with all her might, doubling him over. As he lowered his head, she brought her knee up again, breaking his nose and causing him to tumble backward down the stairs.
She looked down on his prostrate body, blood flowing from his nose, and shouted, “Don’t you ever touch me again, you goddamned bully, or I’ll slit your throat!”
Jasper’s friends bent double with laughter, and one of them tried to help him up. When Jasper stood, he slipped in his own blood and fell. That brought more laughter and a flush to Jasper’s face.
Kate’s friends began to heckle Jasper and taunt him: “Big bully let a girl beat him up. Big bully let a girl beat him up.”
Kate tossed her blonde curls over her shoulder and said loudly, “I guess you thought I’d get Army to fight my battles. I fight my own.”
* * *
Shenandoah laughed. “That explains it all. Wonder why I never heard that story.”
“I doubt Jasper or his friends wanted to spread the word, and I had my revenge already. I never told Army.”
“How have you been able to keep your drinking from Jasper?”
“Jasper is afraid of Army. He’s not about to challenge him. And Masterson is on my side. He helps me hide it from Jasper because I saved his little girl when she came down with a severe case of pneumonia.”
Taking Kate’s hand in hers, Shenandoah said, “I’m sorry if I came off as sanctimonious. I was just shocked to learn you have a drinking problem. Has it affected your work?”
“Most of the time it hasn’t, but I’d be lying if I told you it never did. The blackouts have been very worrisome. Sometimes I can’t account for two or three days. Nurse Little and Jazz Boldt cover for me a lot. Believe me, this thing with
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