There was a long pause on the line. “This concerns me. Uneven temperature could mean damage to nerves, which is hard to detect.”
“Oh my,” Laura gasped.
“How carefully did you examine skin?”
“I felt him with my bare hands.”
The doctor gave another long pause. “How closely did you check penis and scrotum?”
“What about it?” Laura gulped.
“How was reaction?”
Laura cleared her throat. “Fully erect.”
“Very good. Did you examine skin? Did you touch it?”
“No, but….”
“There are no buts in medical training,” the doctor replied forcefully, being stern for the first time. “Real doctor would not accept these excuses. The skin around penis and scrotum are uniquely sensitive. It must be checked for signs of frostbite or redness. Immediately.”
Laura wanted to reply, ‘But that’s my son we’re talking about!’ but arguing with this old doctor was pointless. The doctor was someone from a different culture and generation. This was nothing to her, and she had no idea how bizarre it would be for a city woman like Laura.
The doctor went into a brief explanation of all the potential effects of hypothermia that may still linger. Of course, the doctor was an expert on this since she lived in this cold climate. All Laura could do was listen and learn, and pretend that she understood what all those medical terms meant.
“I’ll get to it,” Laura replied.
“Yes, yes, right away. Call me back with results after.”
Before the doctor ended the call, she gave a new set of instructions which left Laura with a dumbfounded expression, along with an elevated heart rate.
***
Laura returned to her son’s room, who was still watching tv. This time, he had covered himself with a blanket, fully expecting the ‘exam’ to be over.
“Everything okay?” he asked with a jovial attitude to show that he was perfectly fine.
Laura took the remote control and turned the tv off. “Not quite. The doctor wants to add a bit more to your exam. She’s afraid of hidden nerve damage, and she wants us to take things a little further.”
“Further than what we’ve already done? Please don’t tell me you’re going to stick a finger up my ass.”
“Actually, just the opposite.”
Ben looked puzzled. “What do you mean?”
“She wants me to conduct a more thorough examination of your penis and scrotum. It’s to ensure that none of your nerves have been damaged.”
“But you already saw…you know…my hard-on.”
Laura took a short breath. “I know, but I didn’t check your skin. And, well, I haven’t checked your ability to ejaculate.”
There was a brief moment of silence between them and neither of them knew how to react. Who would?
“So you’re going to do it?” he asked uncomfortably. “You’re going to make me, you know, ejaculate?”
“It’s for the best. I’m the only person who can check it here.”
“I can check myself,” he insisted.
“With all due respect, you were disoriented a few hours ago. Your opinion doesn’t count. I promise to make this easy. It’ll be over before you know it.”
He nodded. “I guess so.”
“Please, relax. The sooner we finish, the better.”
Laura moved closer to him as he laid there. She gently pulled the blanket away and tossed it aside. Then she pulled his sweatpants down to reveal his underwear. His bulge was smaller, but still very much present.