Do Unto Others What Is Not Done For You

The skinny young doctor ran about the busy waiting room in a neurotic way. I think the guy was probably overworked, and hence the erratic behavior. He seemed cranky and hot tempered, and the patients seemed to be on the receiving end. The crowded room, which I thought was rather unusual for a Thursday morning, was filled by even more crankier and restless patients. Some of them informed me that they have been waiting since 7.30 a.m. Nurses kept rushing here and there seeming frazzled and at their wits end. The room was packed with mournful looking patients on stretchers and wheelchairs everywhere. Some had come well prepared in advance with a book in hand for the long waiting hours ahead in this busy and bustling medical center. The lady who sat across me kept clutching her chest and had a pained expression across her face. Thankfully, there was no incidence like out of the TV medical dramas in which a patient in a crowded waiting room will suddenly collapse and suffer a cardiac arrest after waiting so long to be treated.

I came to the hospital to accompany a person, who was among those who had completely abandoned me when my father died. I came upon this person’s request because I really though this person was sick. From 9.30 am to 6.30 p.m., I waited together with and accompanied this person for getting various scanning, x-rays, and blood tests done which proved to be completely useless and unneeded. In the end, the doctor certified that the person was a picture of health, and he could not find anything wrong with the tests taken. I became frustrated as this person had told me beforehand a cock and bull story of a long string of symptoms of illness. I did not show my frustrations, but I angrily though back of the time when I was running a high fever and had been completely delirious when I was 17. I was completely out of it then. For 3 days, I could not move, and I was lying helplessly on the sofa because I could not move to the bed. Nobody bothered to send me to the hospital, nobody cared. I was left there without anybody checking up on me. When I asked out for help, I was accused of exaggerating my symptoms and that I was not really sick.
"Do not trouble us like you had trouble your father, " came back the callous replies.
Here I am now being there for one of those people who refused to be there when I really needed help.

Anyway, I left the hospital around 7 p.m. without a single meal the whole day. I decided to go to Borders, which was bit near the medical center, after my day at the hospital ended with be being completely ravenous, and my gastric had started acting up.
When my feet finally touched Borders, I felt like I had reached my own personal mecca, and all my hunger, tiredness, and frustration melted away. I bought two books to study for my exams, a file, and 2 notebooks with beautiful designs (but cheap!) on the covers. I love collecting notebooks with unique designs, and all the notebooks I use have some cool statements printed on top.
However, I had a long journey back home ahead me on the public transport system which I always felt uncomfortable using in nights because of safety issues, so I could not spend more time as I would wanted in Borders.

I finally reached home at 10.30 p.m. tired, sticky, and fed up with the day. I am on my seventh cup of coffee right now since last night, hoping that caffeine can give me my much needed relief right now.