You sit there, silent, staring, waiting. You went there because you were unwell and were seeking treatment, but the boredom is making you sicker. The TV is tuned into a boring channel, with the volume is so low that you can’t watch it even if you wanted to. What’s the point of having it on anyway? You want to listen to music, but you forgot your earphones. So you stare jealously at the guy seated across from you with earphones plugged into his ears, because the music seems to be saving him from the vicious arms of boredom that are reaching towards you. The novel that you brought along with you has a slow start, too slow to entice you to to turn the page, so you slam it shut in frustration. You stare out the window and stare at the clouds floating by, and amuse yourself with all the different shapes. A screaming child provides welcome distraction, and you turn to look at him. He’s seen a doctor clad in a white lab coat coming towards him, and it’s freaking him out. You half smile, slightly amused. You remember the days when a doctor’s white lab coat was the omen. You begin wondering whether a different-coloured lab coat would have the same effect, or whether they would never know it, never see the needle coming. Haha. Little suckers. The intercom crackles, getting you out of your daydream, and you hear your name called out. “Finally,” you think, “took them long enough.” With a sigh you stand up and shuffle your feet lazily towards the door.
After being kept waiting for so long, the doctor is done with you in two minutes and sends you to the lab. Shit, lab...needles. Perhaps you’re still a child inside after all. You take yourself towards your impending doom, and you turn away as the white-coated monster snaps his rubber gloves on. He taps the inner part of your elbow lightly, and you can almost swear he’s licked his lips, like a lion about to pounce on a willing, juicy antelope. You wince as you feel the needle go in. Oh, the horror! But before you know it, it’s over. “That wasn’t so bad,” you tell yourself, wondering why you were scared in the first place. Childhood trauma perhaps? You’re told to wait outside a while. Great, another waiting room. It smells the same as the other one. That hospital smell that attacks your nose as soon as you step one foot into the building. You sit facing the fountain, looking at the bubbles rising towards the surface, listening to the gurgling noise. From the speakers you hear Jimmy Reeves playing, a nice, soft song. A soothing calm takes over you...
You’re jolted awake by someone roughly shaking your shoulder. A nurse in a starched, white uniform, who looks like she’s just eaten a lemon, hands you an envelope. “Take this to the doctor” she says, in a very surly tone. “Someone hates their job,” you think. You take the envelope and go back to the doctor, who makes you wait again. You sit exactly where you had sat before, only this time it’s a bit different because the people around are different. Life seems to have moved on since you were last there. You stare at the the two blonde girls chatting animatedly, and wonder if they are at all sick. The guy seated in front of you turns, blocking your view of the blondes. You turn to look at what distracted him. It’s the long-legged girl in the miniskirt that’s coming down the stairs. Of course. Why are you not surprised?
The doctor calls you back in, wrinkling her forehead as she looks at your file with quick spasmic nods. Wordlessly, she jots down something on a piece of paper and hands it to you. “Take this and you’ll be fine in no time.” She whips out of the room, lab coat billowing behind her.
You go to the pharmacy, and the pharmacist asks you to wait. Boy, they really love making people wait in this place, don’t they?! You sit down anyway, because you’ve got no choice. You’ve been the epitome of patience this whole day. You should be given an award! Before long, the pharmacist calls out your name and shoves a brown package in your hand. Why does everyone at this hospital seem angry today? But you don’t care, because you’re done.
Shielding your eyes, you walk out into the blistering sun.
