I turn up promptly for my appointment, I am greeted cordially by the receptionist.
Do I have an appointment? she says.
I do I say.
She replies, take a seat, the doctor will see you shortly.
I instantly know that won't be the case, I scan the room and can see there is just one person in front of me. Is their appointment after mine? Are they early? My appointment time is 9 am, and it is 8.55 am. They cant be delayed already?
Never mind, how long past my appointment time can it go? 5 or 10 minutes maximum. This other person doesn't even look ill.
5 minutes pass and silence. We are both looking around aimlessly. Where to look? What to do?
10 minutes pass. My companion picks up a Hello magazine and flicks through it, slowly, very very slowly.. time seems to be frozen. The clock seems to be working but not moving!
I resign myself that I could be spending quite some time here today. There is no chance of getting in and out quickly. Why did they make the appointment with me at 9 am if they cant keep it?!
I pull out my phone, what can I do or look at to pass the time. My god, everything is up to date. All emails read, or at least nothing "light" that I can read now.
Social media, yes I can check my socials.. this lasts all of two minutes. I only have Instagram. Youtube, perhaps I can watch something on youtube.. no headphones.. that's out then.
I check the time, 9.12 am.. oh my god! I am so bored. The walls are so sanitary and.. boring! The magazines are all so boring.. the posters offering checkups for random diseases that I have never heard about.. boring! Get your flu vaccination.. boring! Oh god! Get me out of here!!!
I check the time, 9.14 am.. what on earth is the doctor doing!!! Why do they have such bad time management? Did an emergency happen? It's so eerily quiet back there. What is the doctor doing?!?!
It feels like an eternity, but the time is 9.20 am. I need to get out of here, my brain cannot take the utter boredom. What a waste of time being here. I could be doing so many other things. Getting so many useful things done.
My bottom starts to ache, I've been sitting now for over 35 minutes in the same position and the chairs are so hard and uncomfortable. I switch position slightly. I fold a leg up on the other. I start to stare blankly at a different corner of the room.
It approaches 9.45 am or so I think. I'm starting to lose track of time. I'm not sure if I am awake or in a dream. My companion is called. At last, there is some sign of action. Not long to go now.
5 minutes go by and still nothing. New patients have arrived and I didn't notice. There are now 4 of us waiting. I wonder what appointment time they have.
10 minutes go by. Perhaps my companion has a lot of explaining and talking to do. What's taking so long? I just need a very quick thing from the doctor. Who spends so long with a doctor?
It's 10.15 am, I see my companion in the reception area again. It looks like he is finally finished. I should be next, not long now then. Only 1 hour and 20 minutes, that's not too bad really.
Another 10 minutes go by, and still no sign of being called. Do they know I'm here? What is the doctor doing?
Finally, my name is called. I was falling asleep I have been here so long. It is 10.25. 1 hour and 30 minutes after my scheduled appointment time. Why didn't they just book me in at 10.25!?!
If only we could go FASTER during this waiting time, even waiting for the bus isn't as bad as this.
Thanks for reading.
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Photos were taken by me.