PIC FAILS TO USE CORRECT CHKLIST WITH ACFT EQUIP PROB MALFUNCTION ON TKOF.

Narrative

FLT TOOK OFF ON RWY 36R IN MEMPHIS AND AFTER LIFTOFF PRIOR TO GEAR RETRACTION; THE 'GEAR DOOR OPEN' LIGHT ILLUMINATED. THE FO ASKED IF I WANTED THE 'GEAR DOOR OPEN' CHKLIST. I SAID NO; AND CALLED FOR THE GEAR TO BE RETRACTED. AFTER THE RETRACTION CYCLE THE NOSE AND R MAIN INDICATED UP AND LOCKED AND THE L MAIN INDICATED UNSAFE WITH THE GEAR DOOR OPEN LIGHT STILL ILLUMINATED. AT THIS POINT I KNEW WE NEEDED TO RETURN TO MEMPHIS FOR LNDG. WE ASKED FOR AND RECEIVED CLRNC FOR A VFR PATTERN BACK TO RWY 36R. THE LNDG GEAR WAS LOWERED AND ALL GEAR INDICATED DOWN AND LOCKED WITH THE GEAR DOOR OPEN LIGHT OUT. APPROX 30 SECONDS LATER THE GEAR DOOR OPEN LIGHT REILLUMINATED AND 'GEAR DOOR OPEN -- MAIN GEAR EXTENDED' PROC WAS CALLED FOR AND EXECUTED. UNEVENTFUL APCH AND LNDG MADE AND APPROPRIATE AFTER LNDG PROCS FOLLOWED. MY ACTIONS WERE AFFECTED BY TIME CONSCIOUS INDUSTRY AND CONSUMER ORIENTED BUSINESS. MY DECISIONS WERE BASED ON TOTAL INFO AT THE TIME INCLUDING KNOWLEDGE THAT THIS DISCREPANCY WAS WRITTEN UP THE NIGHT BEFORE AND CLRED BY MAINT. MY BEHAVIOR COULD BE INTERPRETED AS PROCEDURALLY INAPPROPRIATE. THE GEAR DOOR OPEN CHKLIST DIDN'T SEEM TO BE DESIGNED FOR LIGHT ON AFTER TKOF BUT WE ARE TRAINED TO USE IT WHEN CONFIGURING FOR LNDG.