The Charity Chip Read Online Free PDF Page B

ignored the question.
    Raúl held up the bag. “Better grab some now if you want any.”
    Julio grabbed a piece of bread and headed for the door before he had to explain where he was going. He devoured the bread as he hurried down the stairs and caught up with Doctor Barilla just as he grabbed the key from the bathroom medicine cabinet and unlocked his office door.
    The doctor took a seat at his cluttered desk and set his coffee cup on top of a stack of medical files. Behind the desk was a large bookshelf of reference books and various medical props gathering dust. A supply cabinet sat half empty at one end of the bookshelf with a small refrigerator tucked in beside it. A rusty filing cabinet sat at the other end with an overflowing basket of papers and files on top. A rickety examination table was centered in the front half of the room. Several faded posters hung on the walls advertising medications, government vaccination programs, or demonstrating the elements of human anatomy to any patients who took the time to notice them. He opened his old laptop and slipped on his reading glasses.
    Julio pulled up beside the doctor and handed him the card. Doctor Barilla extended his arm so he could see it and typed Caritas into the search engine. “It may take a few moments,” said Doctor Barilla. “The neighbor’s Wi-Fi is a bit slow, but beggars can’t be choosers.”
    Julio moved the doctor’s coffee cup. “Do you want me to do some filing while we wait?” asked Julio.
    “If you’d like,” answered Doctor Barilla with a shrug.
    Julio grabbed the stack of medical files and began returning them to the cabinet where they belonged. “It’s my way of paying rent.”
    “ Por favor ,” said Doctor Barilla with a wave of his hand. “Ah, here we go,” said Doctor Barilla after several minutes of searching. “I found a news article about Caritas.”
    Julio set the remaining files on the floor and slid in behind Doctor Barilla.
    “It says here,” continued Doctor Barilla, “that the program is the brainchild of Isak Blixt, and Peru is the prototype. If it succeeds here—”
    Someone pounded on the front door. “Doctor! Doctor! Are you there?”
    Julio hurried over and unlocked the door. When he flung it open, a dark-skinned chola woman walked in cradling a young girl with a dirty rag wrapped around her left foot. Julio could see the blood seeping through the rag as the woman came to a stop in front of the examination table. The woman’s hair was pulled back, exposing the deep creases of worry in her forehead and around her eyes.
    “Doctor Barilla,” she began, “my daughter stepped on something while playing in the street.” She leaned forward and offered up the girl.
    Doctor Barilla motioned toward the examination table with his hand as he stood. “ Cálmese, señora , I’m sure she’ll be fine. Lay her down on the table.” He moved around his desk and approached the examination table as the worried mother put the injured girl onto the table. The doctor stopped and ran a hand through his unkempt hair. “Uh, give me a moment to clean up,” he said and darted for the bathroom.
    Julio watched as the mother held her daughter’s hand and wiped the tears from her cheek with the back of her fingers. The mother’s display of tenderness reminded him of Mamá, and he felt a stab of bitterness.
    Doctor Barilla hurried back into the room with his hair wet and combed back. He still sported the stubble and yellowing teeth, but his face and hands were clean, and he had slipped on his white smock. “ Bueno , what have we here?” asked Doctor Barilla as he gently unraveled the bloody rag from the girl’s foot. “What did you step on?”
    The girl squeezed her mother’s hand but didn’t cry out. “A broken bottle,” she said with a wavering voice.
    “Hmm . . . I see.” Doctor Barilla adjusted his glasses and bent over her foot for a better look. “Julio, bring me the bottle of peroxide, some alcohol wipes,