A chair sat next to the examination trolley. Slipping her feet from her sandals, Kirsty removed her jeans and pants and placed them neatly on the leatherette seat.  In the middle of the padded trolley, someone had placed a fresh sheet and a pillow. She positioned the pillow at one end.  Inching her buttocks onto the trolley surface, she swung her legs up and draped the folded sheet over her torso. Finally, she reclined her head against the pillow and waited. 

“Are you ready, Missh Stewart?”

“Uh-huh, I mean, yes that’s me ready.” Her voice had developed the quality of a pubescent choirboy.

She heard the distinct snap of latex as Dr McDonald shouldered his way through the curtains, gloved hands held aloft. He drew a sharp breathe through his teeth and shook his head.

 “No, no, that won’t do. You’ll have to turn round the other way. I can’t poshibly examine you like that.” He disappeared again, into a sea of billowing drapes.

Kirsty glanced down the length of her body. The bed was precariously narrow. She wondered how best to manoeuvre herself round without falling off. In the end, she decided to shuffle around till she lay flat on her stomach. This didn’t seem right. She was pretty sure Mr Bond couldn’t examine her in this position. Resting her upper body on her elbows, she raised her buttocks and slowly shuffled her knees up towards her stomach until she was on all fours. Perspiration moistened her skin, fastening a stray lock of hair against her cheek. The sheet, which up to now had stayed put, slowly lost purchase and slid from her back, exposing her bare backside. She watched helplessly as it descended to the floor, landing beside a pair of brown nubuck brogues.

“You seem to have got yourself into a bit of a pickle, Missh Stewart.”

Dr McDonald’s impassive face stared back at her but Kirsty could have sworn that she saw the glimmer of a smile pass his lips. After replacing her sheet, he lifted the pillow and placed it at her feet.

“Now, if you’d like to shwing round onto your back with your head over here,” He pointed to the pillow.  “I’ll get on with the examination.” The corners of his mouth twitched undoubtedly this time. “You see, I’m left handed.”