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A doctor who started the medical practice in Seattle where Rosie works. Howie is the one who hires Rosie, and he is the kind of doctor who calls his patients’ mothers “Mom.” Howie is big on marketing the practice, and he wants Rosie to go to Thailand and set up a medical clinic so he can brag about it on the practice’s website. Howie expects Rosie to do work outside her scheduled appointments and on-call hours, and he gets angry if Rosie’s family obligations keep her from this extra work. Howie is demeaning and patronizing when he speaks to Rosie. He calls her “girl,” implies that she is incapable of doing her job or taking care of her family, and he makes her feel like she will lose her job if she doesn’t go to Thailand. Howie represents the sexism and discrimination women often face in the workplace. He makes Rosie work twice as hard as the men in the practice, and he places himself in a position of authority over Rosie, even though he isn’t her boss.
Howie Quotes in This Is How It Always Is
The This Is How It Always Is quotes below are all either spoken by Howie or refer to Howie. For each quote, you can also see the other characters and themes related to it (each theme is indicated by its own dot and icon, like this one:
).
Part II: Red Roo Rising
Quotes
“The rest of us manage to balance work and family.” He wasn't yelling; he was scolding, which was worse. “It's not fair that we should suffer because you are incapable of doing so.”
Rosie rolled her eyes. “How are you suffering, Howie?”
“I have to recap Monday Morning Meeting before I've even gotten through it. And I have to take shit if you're asked to do one thing outside seeing patients.”
“I'm pretty sure I'm the one taking shit, but I'll be in charge of breakfast again.”
“Attagirl.”
“I’m not a girl.”
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Part III: Vagina Shopping
Quotes
“Listen Rosie, I know you've got some shit going on at home. I don't want to bust your balls. But you're just not pulling your weight around here.”
“Howie, how am I not pulling my weight around here? I keep thirty-five appointment hours every week, same as you. I maintain emergency appointment slots and on-call hours, same as you. My patient load is full, same as yours.”
“How can you say you’re keeping thirty-five patient hours every week? You've cancelled all your appointments since Monday.”
“Once. One week. This week I've had to cancel appointments—all of which have been rescheduled, and for each of which will I carve out time. In the four years I've been working here, this is the first time I've had to reschedule more than a day's worth of appointments. People get sick, Howie, people's families get sick, even doctors’. That's why we have sick leave and personal leave and family leave.”
“Is that what's happened this week? Sick kid?”
Rosie nodded but failed to elaborate.
“Penn can't take care of this? He doesn't even work.”
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Howie Quotes in This Is How It Always Is
The This Is How It Always Is quotes below are all either spoken by Howie or refer to Howie. For each quote, you can also see the other characters and themes related to it (each theme is indicated by its own dot and icon, like this one:
).
Part II: Red Roo Rising
Quotes
“The rest of us manage to balance work and family.” He wasn't yelling; he was scolding, which was worse. “It's not fair that we should suffer because you are incapable of doing so.”
Rosie rolled her eyes. “How are you suffering, Howie?”
“I have to recap Monday Morning Meeting before I've even gotten through it. And I have to take shit if you're asked to do one thing outside seeing patients.”
“I'm pretty sure I'm the one taking shit, but I'll be in charge of breakfast again.”
“Attagirl.”
“I’m not a girl.”
Related Characters:
Related Themes:
Page Number and Citation:
Explanation and Analysis:
Part III: Vagina Shopping
Quotes
“Listen Rosie, I know you've got some shit going on at home. I don't want to bust your balls. But you're just not pulling your weight around here.”
“Howie, how am I not pulling my weight around here? I keep thirty-five appointment hours every week, same as you. I maintain emergency appointment slots and on-call hours, same as you. My patient load is full, same as yours.”
“How can you say you’re keeping thirty-five patient hours every week? You've cancelled all your appointments since Monday.”
“Once. One week. This week I've had to cancel appointments—all of which have been rescheduled, and for each of which will I carve out time. In the four years I've been working here, this is the first time I've had to reschedule more than a day's worth of appointments. People get sick, Howie, people's families get sick, even doctors’. That's why we have sick leave and personal leave and family leave.”
“Is that what's happened this week? Sick kid?”
Rosie nodded but failed to elaborate.
“Penn can't take care of this? He doesn't even work.”
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Page Number and Citation:
Explanation and Analysis:
