Image by Vidal Balielo Jr. edited 
"Good morning, Dr Powell"
Alicia greeted from over the desk.
Dr. Powell looked at her with disdain, and for no reason in particular. He has assumed this new behaviour since the successful surgery he performed on a four years old norn that had been rejected by other well known hospital.
Doctor Powell was a renowned doctor at the otolaryngology section of John Hopkins hospital. He had achieved many things and had his name carved in the wall of great doctors at the hospital. He had achieved many successes and since when he started his profession, there had been very few setbacks.
He was so full of himself for the successes he gas achieved. Other doctors were referred to as learners as far as he was concerned.
Things went well for Doctor Powell until the 13th of September, 1993 when a letter of surgery plopped on his desktop. It was a letter from the head of his department ordering him and fourteen other surgeons to perform a surgery on an asthmatic patient that was referred to the ENT section of John Hopkins Hospital.
He had done various surgeries on asthmatic patients and they had went well if not for some minor setbacks which were just a flip-over as there were other surgeons with him to perfect the surgeries. He hoped that this surgery he wanted to embark on would go well as he had started his research on asthma since he became an otolaryngologist. He quickly typed his letter of reply after some deliberation stating that he is grateful for being part of the team for the surgery.
He knew what he stood to gain if the surgery went well; there would be lots of special gifts from the hospital like cash gifts, promotions and special recognition from hospitals both far and near. He was also going to be part of this surgery because it would make him rise higher in the record of the best doctors in the world.
Dr Powell realized he had a lot of research to do on this surgery and he began by reading up on the first kind of this surgery.
He read and took notes on things he thought were important and were needful for him in order for him not to fail in this surgery.
He attended conferences, seminars and went to various press conferences relating to the surgery. Meetings were held by him and his team that were chosen for the surgery. The patient that was having the operation was brought in and was screened.
After the screening, the result was printed out and when it was shown to Doctor Powell, he knew that this was a very hard surgery and he didn't want to fail.
Finally, it was the D-day. The theatre was set and everything was in place for the surgery. All the medical team were on ground and nurses moved around checking various equipment and machines that would be used for the surgery. Everything was set for the operation except one thing.
Dr Powell, tbi king that without him the surgery session wouldn't proceed, waited so that everyone would beckon on his arrival. Though they tried, none could get through to him. His pride took the best of him.
Doctor Powell hadn't arrived and the surgery couldn't start in the absence of just one doctor as was the policy in the hospital.
Hours passed and there was no sign of Doctor Powell. His line too was unreachable as nearly everyone on the team except the head of the department had called to ask why he wasn't available but they got no response. The head of department grew worried and called Doctor Powell's line and fortunately for him, it rang and someone answered the phone.
It wasn't Doctor Powell who answered the phone but it was someone near the scene where the doctor had had an accident and the person said the owner of the phone was unconscious at the moment and he asked if the caller was a relative of the owner of the phone.The head of department pondered a little and answered in the affirmative saying that he was a relative of the owner of the phone.
The departmental head asked for the location of the accident and when he was told he cut the call. He explained the situation of things to the other doctors and told them to commence on the operation. He then told the ambulance driver to go to the scene and bring in the victims of the accident for treatment.
Doctor Powell was badly injured and he was taken into the ICU. He was already conscious and was sad that all his work, his boasting of being the best doctor, and his pride were diminishing before his eyes.
He was treated for about a month and during his treatment, he learnt that the surgery he was supposed to take credit for had taken place and was a great success without him.
For him, though the operation was successful, it read no meaning because he wasn't in the team.
The International Medica Association awarded the team for the first successful Asthma surgery and they all earned different degrees of promotion and recognition but without Dr. Powell.