Having yet another summons to attend the surgery today, I arrived well in time for my appointment only to find they were all running late so I took a seat in the almost full waiting area. With this doctors' surgery I think there has only ever been one occasion when the waiting room was almost deserted and the people waiting were what I would call 'normal', that was some years ago when I had a very early morning appointment before I went to work and the surgery had only just opened.
This morning was the usual chaos which didn't help me because I had not slept much again and had been woken very early with a migraine which can make me 'a little sharp'. Anyway, I sat down opposite a rather large lady who, together with her three teenage daughters, seemed rather bemused at the goings on around them. I had a feeling that this may have been their first trip to this surgery.
Most of those waiting were Somali women with an assortment of children of varying ages. The women were having a loud discussion in their own language while the children were either running around or arguing over which one was going to play with which bit of the puzzle that is fixed to the table.
To my left was another family of three generations, Grandma, Grandpa, daughter with her teenage daughter and small son who could scream to burst anyone's eardrums. He had obviously had new batteries inserted before coming as he was continuously tearing around almost knocking some of the old ladies over as they were called to the treatment room. I wasn't sure which of this family were waiting to see the doctor but I don't think it was the little tearaway!
On my right was a young man with a mobile phone glued to his ear, ignoring the notices around the waiting area which request mobile phones to be turned off, he was obviously speaking to a friend because he was telling him about his exploits on a trip he had made to London at the weekend. Then there were the drug addicts who can't sit still but are up and down like yo-yo's while they wait to see the doctor and they also take frequent trips outside for a smoke. Their comings and goings are enough to make anyone dizzy.
Finally, behind me was an elderly lady and her husband. He must have been very deaf because she had to keep repeating things, eventually shouting quite loudly at him, telling him he needed a hearing aid and should ask the doctor for one. He just mumbled back at her and I got the feeling he was quite happy not to be able to hear her!
At last my name was called so I heaved a big sigh of relief and went in. Hopefully, I won't need to go there again for a long time but I think they will be requesting my company in another three months.
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