I stand hesitatingly in front of the rather formidably sized old woman, sitting at the desk pompously.
"Appointment liya?" She asks with disdain, as if confident of my incompetence to have done so.
"No," I said humbly, confirming her assumption. She gave me a triumphant glare.
Aunty - 1. Me - 0
A pained smile was directed at me next. The kind where you actually want to spit at someone, but company policies tell you to smile, so you compromise and end up looking constipated.
She tore a piece of paper off her book, throwing it at me with vigour. I caught it at the last moment, my reflexes slowed by my fever and snot filled nose.
"Come when called," she said shortly. I nodded meekly. She moved on to the next poor chap in line, as I made my way over to a couch in the corner of the waiting room.
The doctor hadn't come in yet. It was past eleven and I was beginning to feel faint from the fever. I plopped down between an old man staring into space, and a middle aged woman reading one of those glossy magazines they place in such places for you to feel classy.
I snorted at the thought. It turned out to be a poor choice of action, since green phlegm made its way down my nose violently. I hastily retrieved my handkerchief and wiped off my nose, as the woman moved away from me irritatedly.
"These doctors!" Said I, hoping to make conversation. "Would it kill them to be on time?"
The old man continued to stare into space. I ventured a glance to where he was looking, but found only white walls staring back at me.
"Where are you from, Uncle?" I tried again.
"Waha jaha koi ata jata nahi,"he said sadly.
I blinked. The woman beside me gave a giggle.
"Right, right," I said, falling silent.
"Do you know? I was a lawyer myself," said the old man , now noticing me for the first time and seeing me as a potential target for bragging. He seized the chance.
"Were you now?" I asked, genuinely interested. "What cases did you contest?"
He laughed, a low throaty sound from deep inside. "Murder!"
I nodded, astonished. "Did you really??!"
"Yes. In fact, I'll let you in on a secret"
"Oh. Tell me Uncle," I pleaded, imagining him standing in a courtroom and berating a witness smartly.
He grinned, then turned serious. "Do you see that young girl over there?"
I turned and saw a girl in a red dress, sitting near the corner and looking very bored. Her phone was constantly beeping, and she kept glancing at it.
"Yes?"
"She's going to be murdered in this room, in the next five minutes."
"What??!"
"Yes, I got a call from an unknown number. He asked me to be in this spot in this waiting room , exactly at this time. He said at 11.20 am, she would be dead. He must've known I was a high profile lawyer."
I looked at him disbelievingly.
"Uncle, what illness do you have? Is it mental?" I asked wisely, suddenly having an image of him in an asylum with yellow flowers on his bald head, as he played an imaginary violin.
He frowned at me, abruptly deciding I was no longer interesting. He turned away, seating himself at as far from me as humanly possible.
I chuckled, going back to browsing through my phone.
At exactly 11.20 am, I heard a scream. I couldn't believe my ears!
I looked up, terrified and alert. I sensed the old man, looking intently at the scene.
Chaos. Screams. Cries. Flurry of people. White coats. Injections. Shaking. Yelling. Screams. And finally a thud.
It all happened in slow motion.
The girl was dead.
I let out a scream of horror. It burned through the glass walls of the waiting room, my voice hoarse and grey. I couldn't bring myself to stop, however much I wanted to. I closed my eyes furiously.
"ENOUGH!"
I opened my eyes, gasping. The receptionist was standing in front of me, her face a picture of anger and annoyance. I gulped, and looked around.
I blinked.
Nobody was there in the waiting room except me.
I turned my eyes back to the receptionist.
"Where are the others?" I whispered.
She raised her eyes to the high heavens, as if praying for patience. "There is nobody here, Ms Samara. You've been talking to the air on your left side for quite some time now. The doctor will see you now."
I nodded timidly. She glared at me accusingly. "And for the last time, Take..Your..Medication!! " She jabbed a finger into my chest with each word as she spoke.
"You can win this fight. Stay strong," she added, looking into my eyes firmly, as kindness seeped into her voice.
Aunty -2. Me -0
******************
