Why was the doctor late?

Why was the doctor  late?

One night, a little before nine o'clock, the doctor answered his telephone.

-'Glens Falls calling Dr. Van Eyck', said the voice on the telephone.

-'This is Dr Van Eyck speaking' said the doctor.

A moment later Dr Van Eyck heard another voice:

-'This is Dr Haydon at the hospital in Glen Falls. We have a very sick boy here, in our hospital. He has just been brought in with a bullet in his brain. He is very weak and may not live. We should operate at once but I am not a surgeon you know'.

-I am 60 miles from Glens Falls' said Dr Van Eyck, 'have you called Dr Mecer? He lives in Glen Falls.'

-'He is out of town,' said Dr Hayton 'I am calling you because the boy comes from your city. He was visiting here and shot himself while playing with a gun.'

-'You say that the boy is from Albany?  What is his name?'

-Arthur Cunningham'

-I don't think that I know him, but I'll get there as soon as I can;I'll get there before 12 o'clock.'

-'I should tell you that the boy's family is very poor. I don't think that they can pay you anything.'

-'That's all right' said the Dr Van Eyck.

A few minutes later, the surgeon's car had to stop for a red light at the edge of town. A man in an old black coat opened the door of the car and got in.

-'Drive on' he said. 'I've got a gun.'

-'I am a doctor' said Dr Van Eyck. 'I am on my way to the hospital to operate on a very sick...'

-'Don't talk' said the man in the old black coat 'Just drive!'

A mile out of the town he ordered  the doctor to stop the car and get out. Then the man drove on down the road. The doctor stood there for a moment in the falling snow.

Half an hour later Dr Van Eyck found a telephone and called a taxi. At the railway station he learnt that the next train to Glen Falls would not leave until 12 o'clock.

It was after two o'clock in the morning when the surgeon arrived at the hospital in Glen Falls. Dr Haydon was waiting for him.

-'I did my best' said Van Eyck, 'but I was stopped on the road and my car ...'

-'It was good of you to try,' said Dr Haydon, 'the boy died one hour ago.'

The two doctors walked by the door of the hospital waiting room. There sat the man in the old black coat, with his head in his hands.

-'Mr Cunningham,' said Dr Haydon to the man, 'this is Dr Van Eyck. He is a surgeon who came all the way from Albany to try to save your boy.'