Serendipity

I woke up this morning to see my Mum lying on the sofa, when I remembered she was supposed to go for work today. My mum had a sprained back, and while she was wearing her shoes, the pain was so excruciating that she just couldn’t move properly.

I was contemplating to take urgent leave and accompany her to see the doctor, but I was apprehensive, because it might not get approved, since my leave has to be applied for, a week in advance.

But there should be exceptions, in cases of urgent leaves like this. Hence, upon the request voiced out by the poor mummy, I made a call to one of the managers. She gave me the go-ahead, and asked whether I’ll be back for the later half of the day.

Didn’t make it back, because the wait at the polyclinic was atrociously long, that I practically yawn every 15 seconds. I wouldn’t be this tired if I were in the office! Guess a person gets more lethargic when the brain is not functioning, and you don’t get to sleep. Haha.

We got a number, and there were 50 more people to go before our turn to register. It was around half an hour’s wait at the registration counter. Poor Mum had to alternate between sitting at the edge of the hard, green chair, and with her back lay against the chair’s back.

Waited for an hour plus for consultation, and witnessed quite a number of babies and elderly people parading to and fro. Kept myself entertained via my beloved radio.

The consultation room we were waiting for, was room 26, just 2 rooms away from the Children’s Immunisation room, which explained the many bundles of joy being carried to and fro. There was one China Chinese toddler whose father allowed him to walk [un-steadily] on the ground on the corridor. While it was their turn, the boy walked in front, and the dad followed closely behind, then opened the door to the consultation room, and called out for the blur son that he had walked too far! So cute!

It was finally our turn, and the doctor seemed kind of unkempt. He was trying hard to make a call, but was having problems with it. He kept himself busy with his stuffs while my Mum was listing her ailments to him. Then I heard him uttered "shit" for like, 5 times? It wasn’t consecutively, of course. But I don’t think it reflects well of a doctor, in my honest opinion.

The worst was when he said, "your sister?" when I followed my mum into the consultation room. Rolling my eyeball and showing dismay, I remained silent. My mum clarified, and so I was back to my young self once again. Should I count myself lucky that he didn’t show an exaggerated face of disbelief? Haha…

Then we moved on to the x-ray laboratory, which we waited for half an hour. The results will only be available 2 weeks later, so in the meanwhile, my Mum has to rely on painkillers prescribed by the doctor. There, my mum actually chatted with an elderly guy and a well-dressed lady in her late fifties.

The guy was complaining that he had waited for 1.5 hours and he basically didn’t know what they were doing. It was indeed puzzling, because it was a relatively shorter wait for my Mum and I.

When my mother went in for the x-ray, the lady spoke to me, asking me, "ta shi ni mei mei [Is she your younger sister]?" I was distraught, I was shocked, perturbed, and annoyed. Do I look like I’m 50?!?! I don’t even look half of 50!! Okay, maybe I look 25, and I can accept being thought as my mum’s YOUNGER sister, since she looks quite young. BUT it was the first time I was thought to be older than my mum!!!! There’s something I need to seriously do to my appearance. -.-"

Let’s give her [the lady] the benefit of the doubt. She was rather unsure whether she said younger or older sister. Simply put, the way she asked, made me somehow think that she meant to ask whether I was the younger sister instead. Don’t ask me how I know. I just do. Grr.

Indignant, I told her I am her daughter, and my, she was appalled. The look on her face was priceless, but it’s not like the first time I encountered such thing. "Yadaa yadaa, wah she looks so young, got such a big daughter!?"

I gave a plastic smile. She asked for my age, and was even more exaggerated when she calculated my mum’s age. "She’s already 40 plus? Don’t look like leh!"

I’m used to it. -.-" Having a young looking mum demoralises you, because you will tend to think you look old instead. =/

Before we bade farewell, and got on to the next stop at the pharmacy, she complimented my mum for her young looks. Actually the lady looked younger than her age herself, at 60, she looked in her late fifties.

"Wah, you so young, got such a big daughter. Quite pretty leh." Mum and I decided that the lady meant that for me. =P

"You are (pretty) what. Just that not many people know how to notice."

Should I be consoled, or be annoyed? Haha…

*****

Was watching Superstar’s results earlier, and was a tad disappointed that Kelly and Derrick didn’t get in! They did quite well, with Kelly getting the highest marks, and Derrick getting the second highest points!

It really doesn’t matter whether the judges adore them or not. Theoretically speaking, if you have the most fans and friends to vote for you in the competition, it doesn’t matter if the judges only give you a passing mark.

It has become more of a popularity contest rather than singing contest.

This entry was posted on Thursday, July 7th, 2005 at 11:32 am and is filed under Complaints. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can skip to the end and leave a response. Pinging is currently not allowed.