The Dayton forum. [volume] (Dayton, Ohio) 1913-1949, 1937-10-01
Johnny Missed . Golf Tournament,
but Saved Life and Won a
Fair-Haired Daughter Of
His Chief Opponent


and when we tell you that, you must
know that Johnny was doctor. Not just
d doctor, really. but surgeon. and one
OF the two best surgeons in LinWood
County The only two The other was
Fairehild Laird Fairchlld had been car
pentering the insides of the residents OF
Linwood for some thirty-fiye yesrs and
was still going strong. Thereby hung
Johnny's ire.
Laird had an uncanny genius for land
ing in the thick Of things both dramatic
and glamorous, and somehow Johnny
always found himself on the wrong end
of the deal. swearing vengeance and VOW
ing he'd never be the goat. no. never
until next time. There was the case OF
the Pulaski quadruplets and who but
Fair Laird could have guessed that the
stout, aging mother Of seyen living Ia the
fourdoor shack out at the mica mines.
could possibly produce four offspring?
Shed looked just the same as ever and
sh acted just the same But no. Fair
turned young Mrs. Reggie Wallbrook over
TO Johnny. and for four months he leaped
to answer phones and stood for minutes,
groaning and inWardly cursing while the
lovely spoiled young society bride detailed
her strange and complex feelings. And
at the end Of the course, Mrs. Reggie pro-
duced a nine pound, bouncing boy, abb
ruptly went into violent Mysteries and
commissions and, only by the grace Of
Cod and the skill of the hastily called
Laird was saved
Then when the quadruplets were born,
Far" cracked every big paper in the
country with pictures OF himself, the
four babies and the complacent. stolid
Mrs. pulaski Which charred little
more hide on young DR. Benedict's nose
and increased the fund Of scores.
THERE were other issues. Dr. Fairchlld
4 Laird was house uoctor at the Lin
wood City Hospital through the trying
Winter months. always, rut once the
golnng weather arrived he became noble.
persecuted and weary and Johnny was
elected
III there was messy tonsillotomy one.
OF the local physicians loyally turned II
right over to Johnny, but If 1t was
major operation, Fair" was called upon
with headlines. spotlight and soft
music. Plus a check IN three ligures and
sometimes fourl No. Johnny was Justly
irritated beyond doubt.
Then there was this last. this crownine
straw. The golf tournament was TO be
held in September and, simultaneously.
the State motorcycle clubs were to bring
their famous tNomad Tour to Linwood
County in the final big week long race
and stunt circus of the season. Sepa-
rate. they spelled hard work for Johnny
Hard work night after night. practicing
for the tournament; and hard work hour
after hour in the emergenc, operating
room. piecing together shattered frag-
ments Of young ,nen from 25 down, who
had not yet learned the simple Ws of
gravity in relation to speed, gasoline, two
OF three cylinders and a country road
for glory. Together they spelled tragedy
Its your stint, John Fair said
firmly II took all the bad end Of it,
the pneumonia and scarlet fever and
whooping cough and masto.ds Winter
In Connecticut isn't pie for a doctor!"
You take half the time stint on this
Nomad Tour SO / can play IN the tourna-
ment or quit!" Johnny blazed.
"A doctor" Fair reminded him icily
4can't quit! He belongs to humanity!'
A soft, dulcet voice interrupted the
battle: iron-gray head turned at the
same moment dark, rulnpleG one did. and
Susan Laird came In.
Johnnys face darkened to further dis
gust. 1t would have to be like this.
She'd have to look like that--and be
Fair" Laird's daughter!
The last time he had seen Susan Laird
was six years before and she had been a
scrawny. skinny, bony child with a bright
badge of freckles decorating her brief,
straight little nose; a bright name of
hair drifting to her thin shoulders and a
voice that was husky and slurred softly,
like young boys.
She had been violently addicted to
dungarees, old sweat shirts, sneakers
and swim suits that made the rocking
chair brigade gasp in startled shock then.
She had been crack rifle shot. an ex-
pert rider and the idol of the sand-lot
baseball teams for the way she could fan
the biggest rival out of their horizon
without haf trying. She had been, IN
fact, Doc Laird's awful tomhoy daughter.
who'd come to no good end.
ssyMHO talks about quitting, and why?'
W Susan inquired and Johnny fiinched
before the startling blue of her eyes and
the further discovery that minus the
gold wires on her teeth her smile was
something to launch few naval fleets
"Dr. Benedict was just saying that he
hoped the motorcycle races wouldp
come here another year Laird saie
blandly. Johnny glared and hunchec
broad shoulders
Il think they're swell, Susan said in
elegantly. when I was 10, my life amhi.
ton was TO own one and do tricks on ths
Eandlebars alt fifty miles an hour-ol
maybe I mean ninety2"
"Oh, ninety, by all means" Johnn!