Dr. Una with her mutty dog, Pedro.

Before I get started, good people, I know Lainie and Janie wanted this chapter to be my staff profile and I can't wait to read it, but I wanted to do a little intro myself, so hope you don't mind too much girls.

Hello to my fabulous Scrubber- Town Shoppers. Here is the first of what I hope will become a regular feature of Scrubber-Town. The Scrubber-Town Saga Magazine. More on that later.

Let me introduce myself. I'm Doctor Una Abels and I'm very excited to be able (no pun intended) to open my very own medical clinic here at this up-and-coming edifice we know as Scrubber-Town. It's growing like Topsy and I have a wonderful team lined up to join me and I'd like to take a few minutes to introduce them.

Dr Wun Sun: He's young; he's a G.P extraordinaire and only six months out of Med School. Don't let that trouble you, good people. He topped all his classes. He was going to join the team at the Around the World resort,but found it too unruly. He told me that most of the medical staff really had no idea what they were doing. (That's because the  nasty little rumour that most of them didn't pass their exams is true). We rescued him and he'll fit in so well with the rest of my team. I know that these days it's supposed to be irrelevant, but he's a real hottie too. Start lining up ladies. He also dabbles in Chinese Medicine , for those who want to try alternatives.

Dr Ray Beams: He's my psychologist partner and good friend (I know he'd like to be more than a friend, but we won't go there). Anyway he's a fabulous psychologist and we're proud to have him at the clinic.

Dr Daisy Dolay: She will be joining us as resident psychiatrist/gp in a few months time.She's currently working with the team at Around the World resort (Dr. Daisy has been trying to knock some sense into the empty heads of med students who work there). She'll also visit patients at the Crockerie (the aged-care home across the road from Scrubber-Town) Dr. Daisy has lots of patience with older folks, which is a quality I don't have. Those oldies make me want to jump off a high bridge. I like to work mainly with young people and from what I've seen so far, there will be some real challenges awaiting me , but I look forward to them.

Dr Ina Eppit. She is my sweet little sister with a colourful past. Dr. Ina will divide her time between Scrubber-Town and the Around the World resort, which she says suits her disorganized hippie-ish persona and her head-space (whatever that means. She does waffle on sometimes.) Don't let that put you off, though as she specializes in diet and exercise and she has some very revolutionary,  out-there ideas. We're sure she'll be able to knock a few people around here into shape.

Skye Frye, our resident shopping-centre manager. I suppose I'd better give her a mention, even though she's not a medical person.  I must say that she keeps the place humming (and whistling). She struts around Scrubber-Town flicking her hair and making all the blokes lust after her. Komik Kal is the worst; he calls her the sizzling blonde manager. She is quite efficient in her work though, so I commend her for that.

Now, dear readers, more of what I've promised you . The Scrubber-Town Saga. It will be a monthly newsletter, magazine-style . It will include a letter from me, your Editor-in-Chief, and Dr Ray Beams will be acting-editor on occasions when I'm away on leave or sick.Don't worry, that won't be very often. Also we'll have news on sales and new shops. There'll be colouring competitions for the younger ones, and various other competitions that anyone can enter. These are yet to be decided, of course.

 I have appointed a pair of roving-reporters, my two young rascals made-good, Lainie and Janie, who will bring you staff-profiles, so we can all get to know the people who run the fabulous shops a bit better,and any special events at Scrubber-Town. I do hope they won't go over- board with their gossipy style or they'll get us all sued. Councillor Rob Hobbs (of our local Jewel Park/Dark Park council area) is always on the warpath and looking for trouble. He recently said that he'd be happy to put a bomb through Scrubber-Town. I can tell you he's just got a bad case of sour grapes, because he hasn't been able to get elected to the elitist Beauvais Heights council.  However most staff at Scrubber-Town seem to be excited by the prospect of a new magazine and the chance of a starring role in it.

So you see, dear readers, what a unique place our Scrubber-town is. I want to take the last few minutes of this letter to tantalise you with a few up-and-coming treats.

Coming soon is a new Games Arcade for the teens and pre-teens. It's called Game for Games and should keep a few youngsters out of trouble (we hope!) It's a side-line provided by Komik Kal. Any excuse to make more money.  Hope he doesn't include too many violent war games.

New Travel Agency, Asteroid Travel, which is an off-shoot of the new Budget Airline, Asteroid Air. You'll also be able to book for the Around-The- World resort, which I understand is a fantastic alternative for people who want a resort atmosphere, but none of the actual hassles of overseas travel, or who are phobic about leaving the country because of the terrorists. To quote Asteroid Air management:' Asteroid Air is a speedy travel service from out of the blue'.

The Scrubber-Town Saga will be available at Scrubber-Town shops, of course, in selected take-aways and letter boxes, so no-one will miss out. You can also pick yours up at the Scrubber-Town Admin office. See the receptionist, Suze;  that's if she's not out on a break, which seems to be most of the day (at least every time I've been, she's away from her desk).

By the way, I'm starring on TV this week on the All Day, Ev'ry Day current affairs  programme,shown with reporter Kate Blake. (Of Channel One, the One and only One) in an exclusive interview about Scrubber-Town and our vision for it ; Wednesday at seven p.m.

For now, that's all until next month.I'm looking forward to seeing you all at our fabulous shopping mall, our dream come true. How I do love to be involved in the Scrubber-Town community and I hope you all will too.

Love,

Dr. Una Abels.

P.S. I invite you all to drop in to my clinic and hear me give a short talk about 'Bubble-Wrap' Therapy.It's my own unique answer to stress and anxiety. I'll be giving away a free sheet of 'Bubble Wrap' to everyone who comes. Let's all pop together and get rid of our worries!

P.P.S: Hope you like this caricature of me and my beloved best friend, my dog Pedro. It won first prize in a recent drawing competition held at Scrubber-Town.

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