Tom climbed off the table and walked over and sat on the chair. Dr. Johnson wrapped the blood pressure cuff around Tom’s left bicep and put the stethoscope in his ears.

“Relax your arm” said the doctor as he pumped up the cuff then placed the stethoscope onto Tom’s arm and slowly released the air from the cuff.

“150 over 80, pulse is rapid. A little nervous perhaps?,” Dr. Johnson commented as he ripped open the Velcro on the blood pressure cuff and replaced the stethoscope around his neck.

A little nervous was a gross understatement. Tom felt like his heart was going to come out of his chest. This was something he had dreamed about for years but at the same time he was terrified at the thought of going through with it. Tom wanted his limits pushed but was also scared of how far Dr. Johnson would take it.

“Up on the scale now,” Dr. Johnson said as he fiddled with the weight on the scale, adjusting it to zero.

Tom climbed on the scale as Dr. Johnson stood next to him and adjusted the scale to get Tom’s weight. “162. Stand up tall for me, hands at your side,” he said as he adjusted the rod at the top of the scale so it came down and rested on the top of Tom’s head. “69 inches,” he said as he put the rod back into place on the scale.

“Have a seat up on the table,” Dr. Johnson said as he recorded his findings on Tom’s examination checklist.

Tom climbed back up onto the paper covered table, trying to adjust his gown so it stayed closed in the back while Dr. Johnson opened drawers and gathered equipment for the next phase of Tom’s examination.

Dr. Johnson picked up the reflex mallet and approached the table. “Relax your arms and legs,” he said as he tapped Tom’s knees and elbows to check his reflexes. Satisfied with Tom’s reflex response, he set down the hammer and picked up the otoscope. He inspected the exterior of Tom’s left ear then used the scope to examine the ear canal. He then repeated the process with Tom’s right ear.

“Tilt your head back,” Dr. Johnson said as he placed one hand on Tom’s forehead and peered into both of Tom’s nostrils with the lighted scope.

Dr. Johnson produced a wooden tongue depressor. “Tongue out, open wide,” he directed Tom as he shined the light into Tom’s mouth to inspect his mouth and throat. Tom felt him probing his mouth with the dry wooden blade. “Say ‘ahhhhh,’” the doctor directed.

“Hmmm, throat looks very red and irritated,” Dr. Johnson commented as he discarded the tongue blade and began feeling the glands in Tom’s neck with his fingers. Then he went over to the cabinet and got out a small package and opened it to obtain a swab and small tube.

“Open wide again,” Dr. Johnson said as he shined the light down Tom’s throat and began to swab Tom’s throat and tonsils. Tom gagged as the doctor vigorously swabbed to collect an adequate sample.

“I’ll do a standard throat culture but also test for gonorrhea and Chlamydia as you indicated on your questionnaire you have previously engaged in oral sex,” Dr. Johnson said as he inserted the swab into the tube and placed it on the counter. Tom felt his face turn red and began to feel very small in Dr. Johnson’s presence. Tom felt the sweat drip from his armpits and down his chest, soaking the thin cotton gown.

Dr. Johnson returned to the table and used the ophthalmoscope to peer into each of Tom’s eyes. Tom felt the doctor’s warm breath on his cheeks and detected a faint whiff of cologne as Dr. Johnson got close to his face when he looked into his eyes with the scope.

Clicking off the ophthalmoscope, Dr. Johnson stood in front of Tom. “Follow my finger with your eyes, don’t move your head,” Dr. Johnson said as he moved his index finger up, down, to the left and to the right to check Tom’s eye movements.

Dr. Johnson picked up his clipboard and documented his findings from first part of the examination as Tom sat silently and looked around the room. All of the cabinets had frosted glass so Tom could not see what they contained.

Setting down the clipboard, Dr. Johnson picked up his stethoscope and came to the side of the table. “Lower the gown and I’ll examine your chest,” he said as he undid the ties at the back of Tom’s gown. Tom pulled his arms out and let the gown fall to his waist as Dr. Johnson placed the stethoscope in his ears. Tom felt the cold metal disk get placed on his back. “Deep breath in through your mouth,” Dr. Johnson directed as Tom sucked in a deep breath. “Now exhale,” he said as Tom felt him move the stethoscope to another area on his back. “Breathe in…exhale, now breathe normally,” Dr. Johnson said as he moved to Tom’s chest and placed the stethoscope on Tom’s ribcage below his left nipple,” Tom sat there as Dr. Johnson moved the stethoscope around and listened to his heart.

Dr. Johnson removed the stethoscope from his ears and draped it around his neck. “Hands up on your head,” he said as he stood at the side of the table and placed one hand on Tom’s back. With his other hand, he palpated both of Tom’s armpits, checking for swollen lymph nodes.

“How old were you when you began to develop hair on your chest?” Dr. Johnson asked as he began to press along Tom’s nipples and pectoral muscles.

“About seventeen, I think” Tom tried to recall. He remembered getting pubic hair first and when his armpits got hairy but couldn’t remember exactly when his chest got hairy.