The Tennis Partner

On the first of the month, Abraham meets his new team of medical students and interns, which includes Sergio, a resident, and David. David is a fourth-year student, functioning as a “mini-intern,” with more responsibility than the others. Abraham addresses the students on his team, stressing the importance of observation and technique in their examination of patients. Privately, Abraham reflects on how, rather than the diagnoses and diseases he has encountered, it is the patients that linger on in his memory.

Abraham begins to look for apartments for himself, but it saddens him. He tells Rajani that he does not want the boys to feel like he is walking out on them, and they tentatively agree to try counseling again. However, they argue again the very next morning, and the truce disappears.

Abraham is relieved to be playing tennis the next day and takes out his frustration on the court, hitting as hard as he can to David. He feels ashamed soon after for retaining the competitiveness that David wants to leave behind. Abraham apologizes after the game, and David brushes it off. He suggests they look at their games as extended practice sessions and just enjoy being out on the court.