I mentioned in my work newsletter editorial last week that one of the senior doctors in ICU had shouted at me during a patient handover. It was only to ask me to speak up so that everyone could hear, but it still felt a bit awkward. I didn’t say his name in the editorial, but he knows who he is.
He took it well, in fact, and I thought no more about it until I was back in the ICU on Tuesday, picking up a patient for theatre. One of the senior doctors sidled over to me and asked who it was who had shouted at me. “I can get him fired!” He said. I was somewhat taken aback but gratified nonetheless. I said who it was, of course, because that’s just the kind of person I am, but that there were no hard feelings. I’d got over it by then. I wonder why people say that ‘revenge is a dish best served cold’? Surely it would be far more appealing to be able to pay someone back right at that moment when you are burning with indignation? I’d like my revenge served hot, thank you very much. But then, delayed gratification has never been my thing.
Anyway, it turns out my new friend doesn’t have the power to get the other guy fired after all, so perhaps all’s well that ends well.