I’ve been out and about on this magnificent Canberra morning, to the doctor’s surgery to do my belated spiometry test.
This is a test conducted by a nurse which tests lung capacity. My doctor is very insistent that I do them and I was scolded last time I went to him because I had not had one when he expected me to. I need to see him on another matter and instead of getting in trouble for being lax I figured I would do the test and book in again to see him next week, saving me the dressing down I would get for disobeying his directives.
He is a young doctor, a bit quirky as some doctors tend to be but quite pleasant but firm in what he wants his patients to do. He is an asthma specialist so he takes a good deal of interest in patients like me. Which I suppose is a good thing. I’ve been to doctors in the past who really just want to get you in and out as quickly as possible and empty the contents of your wallet with a similar swiftness.
I also received a flu injection as asthma sufferers get them for free. I am neither here nor there when it comes to the flu shot but whilst I was in the surgery and the nurse offered it, why not? At least it will get my father off my back. He is always urging me to get the injection as it is a staple for him and seems to be the highlight of his year whenever he receives the jab. He then spends the rest of the year complaining that it didn’t work because he has a small dose of the flu! Doesn’t stop him from getting another one the next year.
I had never met the nurse who conducted the test today but I certainly know her now. She never shut up! She wasn’t very old but I found out she had four kids, she was looking after her niece who she had to take to the orthodontist and the niece was scared about that. She told me she produced the plaster cast of her own teeth to show her niece how her mouth looked before she too had braces and how much better life would be for having them. She told me her face was much different now as a result of having braces yet her children look like her before she had them and she was worried about that. The orthodontist she is taking her niece to is the same as the one she went too and he was admiring his previous work. She told me of her friend who had been having skin cancers removed and another friend who put his back out through sneezing too heavily and mused with me about the demise of posties as her kids regard the postman as their friend except for one particular fellow who ignoes her son when he goes out and waits for the mail and simply puts it in the letterbox.
Quite a conversation for a relatively short appointment. And anyone who knows me will be aware that I don’t talk that much most of the time. Then again, I wasn’t doing much talking!
Of course I didn’t mind. I would much rather deal with such a pleasant person who tries to put a patient at ease through chat than a stone cold character who grumbles their way through an appointment. I commend her on the effort she puts in.
She even made my appointment with the doctor for next week so I am set to go.
Of course the only other thing I have to do today is head off to the “happiness factory” for another eight hours of joyous toil. It hasn’t been too bad this week. Just the same old thing but there has been no pressure to speak of and we have survived so far without any hassles.
Last night it was the usual. 9.00pm and I was once again ensconsed in my “private quarters” after spending the day sorting small parcels.
As I tied the last of my despatch down I thought I saw an opening in the small letter area. A spare frame ripe for the picking.
Hastily I finished restacking bins and pushing frames out of the way, emptying the premises I occupied since 2pm, making space for the Tuggeranong night sorters who regard this particular piece of ground as a sacred site and will occupy it whether I am ready to give it up or not.
I could see the empty sorting frame waiting for me, calling my name, willing me to occupy it. The last of my chores complete, I made a dash for the comfort of the small letter area and….disappointment. As I had been lusting for the seat some interloper in the recent past had put letters on the chair thus reserving, according to the unwritten rules of etiquette observed by all mail officers, the right to return and take possesion of the frame whenever they see fit.
All I can say is it must have been reserved some time before as the frame had been empty for a while. Who knows where they had gotten to? Perhaps they were wasting time in the toilet writing some useless tome which nobody will ever read?! Perhaps.
At least I was willing to forgo my creative urge for the day and sit down directly and continue on my way, sorting mail.
Alas, 9.25pm rolled around and I did a “sweep”, checking if any frames had been vacated, only to find the former object of my desire had yet to be occupied and still had the letters on the chair and a full bin of mail waiting to be sorted. Well that’s a bridge too far for anyone expecting to come back after that length of time and I finished the day by sitting down sorting small letters for the last 20 minutes. And no one ever came back for the chair!
Now I have a few things to do before lunch so I will sign off for now and wherever youare I hope you are doing something which will make your life worthwhile and are having a pleasant day. Cheers.
This is a test conducted by a nurse which tests lung capacity. My doctor is very insistent that I do them and I was scolded last time I went to him because I had not had one when he expected me to. I need to see him on another matter and instead of getting in trouble for being lax I figured I would do the test and book in again to see him next week, saving me the dressing down I would get for disobeying his directives.
He is a young doctor, a bit quirky as some doctors tend to be but quite pleasant but firm in what he wants his patients to do. He is an asthma specialist so he takes a good deal of interest in patients like me. Which I suppose is a good thing. I’ve been to doctors in the past who really just want to get you in and out as quickly as possible and empty the contents of your wallet with a similar swiftness.
I also received a flu injection as asthma sufferers get them for free. I am neither here nor there when it comes to the flu shot but whilst I was in the surgery and the nurse offered it, why not? At least it will get my father off my back. He is always urging me to get the injection as it is a staple for him and seems to be the highlight of his year whenever he receives the jab. He then spends the rest of the year complaining that it didn’t work because he has a small dose of the flu! Doesn’t stop him from getting another one the next year.
I had never met the nurse who conducted the test today but I certainly know her now. She never shut up! She wasn’t very old but I found out she had four kids, she was looking after her niece who she had to take to the orthodontist and the niece was scared about that. She told me she produced the plaster cast of her own teeth to show her niece how her mouth looked before she too had braces and how much better life would be for having them. She told me her face was much different now as a result of having braces yet her children look like her before she had them and she was worried about that. The orthodontist she is taking her niece to is the same as the one she went too and he was admiring his previous work. She told me of her friend who had been having skin cancers removed and another friend who put his back out through sneezing too heavily and mused with me about the demise of posties as her kids regard the postman as their friend except for one particular fellow who ignoes her son when he goes out and waits for the mail and simply puts it in the letterbox.
Quite a conversation for a relatively short appointment. And anyone who knows me will be aware that I don’t talk that much most of the time. Then again, I wasn’t doing much talking!
Of course I didn’t mind. I would much rather deal with such a pleasant person who tries to put a patient at ease through chat than a stone cold character who grumbles their way through an appointment. I commend her on the effort she puts in.
She even made my appointment with the doctor for next week so I am set to go.
Of course the only other thing I have to do today is head off to the “happiness factory” for another eight hours of joyous toil. It hasn’t been too bad this week. Just the same old thing but there has been no pressure to speak of and we have survived so far without any hassles.
Last night it was the usual. 9.00pm and I was once again ensconsed in my “private quarters” after spending the day sorting small parcels.
As I tied the last of my despatch down I thought I saw an opening in the small letter area. A spare frame ripe for the picking.
Hastily I finished restacking bins and pushing frames out of the way, emptying the premises I occupied since 2pm, making space for the Tuggeranong night sorters who regard this particular piece of ground as a sacred site and will occupy it whether I am ready to give it up or not.
I could see the empty sorting frame waiting for me, calling my name, willing me to occupy it. The last of my chores complete, I made a dash for the comfort of the small letter area and….disappointment. As I had been lusting for the seat some interloper in the recent past had put letters on the chair thus reserving, according to the unwritten rules of etiquette observed by all mail officers, the right to return and take possesion of the frame whenever they see fit.
All I can say is it must have been reserved some time before as the frame had been empty for a while. Who knows where they had gotten to? Perhaps they were wasting time in the toilet writing some useless tome which nobody will ever read?! Perhaps.
At least I was willing to forgo my creative urge for the day and sit down directly and continue on my way, sorting mail.
Alas, 9.25pm rolled around and I did a “sweep”, checking if any frames had been vacated, only to find the former object of my desire had yet to be occupied and still had the letters on the chair and a full bin of mail waiting to be sorted. Well that’s a bridge too far for anyone expecting to come back after that length of time and I finished the day by sitting down sorting small letters for the last 20 minutes. And no one ever came back for the chair!
Now I have a few things to do before lunch so I will sign off for now and wherever youare I hope you are doing something which will make your life worthwhile and are having a pleasant day. Cheers.
Strange Notations From a Laborious Life 