Just Visiting

Since jer so kindly informed you guys i was a little bit sick. i would just like to clear up that i in fact do not suffer from chronic loneliness, i just had a little to much exposure to what they in the medical world refer to as gingerdreaditis, and it was just a little bit to much for my body to handle. i did have to go visit the hospital. nothing too serious, I just needed blood work to determine exactly what i had. Its weird tho eh, that they call it "visiting" the hospital. I don't know why but i think i have a problem with it. It's not like I knew anyone there. Nobody welcomed me at the door, and I could hardly say i enjoyed my stay. when i think of visiting somewhere, i would picture myself on vacation, or maybe a visit to my grandma's eating cookies and milk and sitting on a couch. Not just waiting in different rooms for a long amount of time. But thats exactly what it was. So it wasn't really a visit. more of a wait.

I did however have to occupy my time. blackberry dead, taking brick breaker totally out of the question. in my emaciated state, exploration was out of the question too. i was basically confined to my hospital seat or bed. so i had to settle for the next best, equally curious thing. People watching. and from my open concept hospital bed, i had sniper vision. who would suspect the half dead, guy laying down with the mask covering his face, was listing and watching every word they spoke.

...well i was.

...and it was fun.

I learned a lot about some perfect strangers that day. the most memorable is Vladimir. Vladimir Suibec (pause) S-U-I-B-E-C which is the exact way he introduced himself to every nurse, doctor or patient who spoke to him. this 60+ man, has been in Canada for 12 years since he moved from old country. he looked a little bit goofy in his pants and bare back with his hospital gown. He refused to stop wandering about the room, and he must have touched just about every instrument in the place. After complaining about his thirst, i watch Vladimir get up (slowly) and walk over to a sink to have a drink. as a senior he was clearly above drinking straight from the faucet, so as i watched him reach straight into the trash and pull out a cup i gained instant respect for that man.

that and...

Mr. SUIBEC was in for his heart problems... the doctor noticed his chart read he was a non-smoker, he ask Mr. Suibec how long he has been a non smoker for and Suibec replied three months. the doctor left.

A nurse walked in looking at her papers, then at mr. suibec, then back at her papers. she ask him how long since he had last smoked a cigarette, he paused, then replied: two months maybe... the nurse left.

later the doctor walked back in. He asked Mr. Suibec if he had had any cigarettes in the last 48 hours. (long hesitation) Mr. Suibec maybe one or two or three this morning with his coffee. but he swore it was his first in six months.

the case was solved. Mr. Suibec had a heart condition that could not withstand the nicotine. he was again advised not to smoke and he was sent on his way.

its thanks to people like this that it takes 3 hours to get one needle at a hospital. however, its also thanks to people like this that you can sit and watch perfect strangers and almost always surely be entertained.

Thanks strange people. you make airports, bus stops, malls and of course hospitals all the more bearable.