Excerpt: "Innately Human"

"Innately Human" (?)

Chapter 1

A red-haired woman picked up the reciever, and put it to her ear. Her tone was warm yet professional. "Tech Adaptive Clinic. How may I help you?"

"Ah, you'd like an appointment for some adapative surgery. As soon as feasible? Let me check the available technician doctors, and their schedules. Hold on a minute." She paused as she went through the appointment inventory on the small laptop seated in front of her. Tapping her fingers and clicking the mouse, she keystroked until she found Doctor Kerns' schedule - and found an empty slot open for 3pm that day.

She spoke pleasantly as she clicked the empty slot. "There's an open slot in Doctor Kerns' schedule for 3pm today -- would that be suitable for a consultation?" A pause before she nodded. "Good. Now I need some information from you. Name, the last hospital you were treated at, and your social security number."

Another minute or two went by as she typed in silence without interrupting other than to confirm spelling, and details. "Your two hour appointment is set, Mr. Wolfe. You know where we're located? Good." She bid farewell to him, and hung up the phone.

Her next move was to dial Dr. Kerns' number, and inform him of the new appointment, and to contact the hospital to retrieve Mr. Wolfe's records. His medical records would only take a hour or two to be filed in their system through e-mail.

With that done, she returned to her usual data entry of paperwork to enter into the computer and had a mound of work to do.

* * *

At ten minutes to three, Mr. Wolfe pulled up in his blue blazer into the parking lot in front of the Clinic. He tapped the steering wheel with his thumbs, feeling rather nervous, and stared at the building. It was a long narrow one story building with white paint on the outside, and plenty of glass windows. All in all, it appeared rather informal and cold.

He stepped out of the car, and stood tall, glancing at the landscaping around the building. Bushes and flowers made the place slightly less imposing, and more warm. He unconsciously tugged at his black t-shirt, and started for the entrance, then walked in after a moment's pause. He went up to the receptionist, and waited for her to look up.

After a minute of wrapping up with a customer on the phone, she glanced upward, and smiled politely. "You have an appointment?"

He nodded. "Yes, I'm Jared Wolfe. The 3 o'clock?"

She rifled through the calender program on the computer, and nodded. "Oh, yes, that's right. I remember setting it this morning. Have a seat, and I'll tell the tech doctor that you're here."

Jared nodded shortly. "Thanks." He turned around and sat at a plush chair. After a few minutes, his leg started thumping in restlessness. He stared wondering if he was doing the right thing coming here. He flexed his meaty hands, and rubbed them on his jeans to wipe his sweaty palms off. Adaptive surgery was a new practice, safe, and permanent, or so he heard off the furry website he'd frequented.

Waiting in tense silence, he nearly jumped to his feet when the receptionist called out his name. Jared walked toward the receptionist who was standing by the door past the desk.

She opened the door part way and gestured with a smile. "This way, sir. I'll lead you to his office. He's currently busy with another patient but he will be done in a few minutes."

Jared had no other choice but to follow her into a hallway of doors. She led him past three doors, then the hall shifted to the left at an angle until she stopped in front of the 5th door with a plague of metal titled 'Doctor Kerns, P.h. D M.E.' She turned the doorhandle and pushed it open. She pointed at the chair facing the office. "Here. Have a seat, and he will be with you as soon as possible."

"Thanks." Jared nodded politely and took the seat. He was about to say something else when she shut the door on him. Shrugging, he looked around the cluttered office -- three walls were beseiged with bookshelves of varying heights, and stuffed to the brim with books and what looked like papers. The desk was an odd sight -- everything was neat and orderly, but the rest of the office looked unkempt.

He didn't have to wait long, before a blonde-haired man walked into the office with a gust of air, and closed the door behind him. He had a warm smile on his face. "Ah, welcome! Jared Wolfe, I presume? I'm Doctor Kerns."

Jared smiled in return, and put his hand out to shake. "Thanks. That's me, yes. Nice to meet you."

The doctor pumped his hand heartily and retreated to his chair, arranging his coat as he sat down. He rifled through the files in the desk drawer, and pulled out a manila folder of papers, then laid it on the desk. He flipped the folder open, and leaned back in his chair looking at Jared speculatively. "So, what are you interested in? Physically you look to be in top form of a muscled man at age 45."

Jared glanced away, feeling suddenly uncomfortable. He shifted in his seat in slight embarrassment. "Er, it's probably an odd request. I'm not sure if I should have come."

Dr. Kerns shrugged, and spread his hands apart expansively. "I've had unusual requests but they've all been happy with it. And I am a doctor as well -- medically. I've also got experience as a programmer. There aren't many who combine the two in this day and age. So you can treat this consultation as patient-doctor confidentiality."

Jared gazed at him uncertainly. "Well. Okay. Um..." He shifted his weight, so he was leaning forward with his hands between his spread legs. "I'd like to change my appearance."

The doctor leaned over his desk with interest. His eyebrow arched in curiosity. "How different were you thinking?"

Jared frowned as doubt seeped in. "Er, have you... well... had patients who wanted to, well, have, er, animal features?"