”Wake up Rahul…. You have to see a doctor today…” I was still caught in “the great struggle”, to shrug off my dizziness and embrace the bright day, when I heard the most familiar voice of my mother. But today my matris sounded more martinetish… no wonder why. It was almost a month now… I was quite synchronously reminded of that almost everyday… and things weren’t getting better. Before, I could easily deflect all the sternness and accusations, regarding the same, by showing her some bovine attitude. But today, I somehow could not. The problem, which I considered ephemeral was actually turning out to be more a matter of serious concern for my parents at least, if not for me.
It was an ingrowing nail. Doesn’t sound that serious na… :)
In the beginning it wasn’t that serious either. It was just at times when I accidently(not at all carelessly…:)) used to bump my toe against anything, that the reactive cry of pain used to come to existence. Otherwise I was totally fine. But since past few days, things started to deteriorate. Both of my toes got swollen up like a boiled potato with quite frequent seepage of blood and pus. The infection was now more than visible. I knew that any of my laconic argument would have sounded more like garrulous shit now. So finally, it was action time…
I got up, got through with the daily business, finished my breakfast and finally got ready for “the cause”. I was as neutral as an austere monk is for racer bikes. Even my brother asked me, more of formality than concern though, if I wanted some company. After all IT WAS JUST AN INGROWING NAIL. I humbly agreed to that. So..I, my brother and a cousin of ours were on our way to the hospital. He dropped me at the main entrance and again asked if I needed company. I humbly refused as IT WAS JUST AN INGROWING NAIL. So they moved on as they had some unfinished business at the bank. I was as neutral as a 5 year old boy is towards bikini hotties...:) having no clue what was waiting inside for me.
It was a newly built facility… highly reputed though. The exteriors looked no second to any hi-fi hospital of some metropolitan. I entered the building… silently… observing things around me. Apart from a few freaky ward-boys and nurses, everything seemed to be quite tranquil. I quickly paced my way towards the cute looking female at the reception counter. “How may I help you sir…” she smiled at me. I asked for the doctor who was a specialist of ingrowing nails. It was quite inconveniently awkward to confront a cute young woman, who actually is smiling at you, with something as stupid sounding as that. Even she felt the same. I could make that out from the sudden change of activity of her facile muscles. “You should see the surgeon sir…”, and now the activity on my face changed. I was caught in no man’s land, wondering what should I do, but I finally took her side as I sensibly assumed that her knowledge about such cases must be more than mine. “OPD, room no 16, sir…” she handed me a blank slip and quite hastily moved her hands in the direction. I smiled at her and watched her getting indulged with the pc on her desk as I moved out from there, wondering what makes these front desk women so busy that they couldn’t even take their eyes off the screen. Or maybe they do orkutting only… :D
“Rahul kaun hai…???”, I obediently raised my hand and a questioning eyebrow from the waiting area when the wardboy coming out from room 16 said that. “Agla no tumhara hai…” he further added. I quickly nodded in affirmation to that. I still was as neutral as an amnesia patient is towards old schoolmates… Afterall IT WAS JUST AN INGROWING NAIL. But I had no clue whatsoever about what was coming my way…
1 comment:
interesting analysis of ingrowing nail :) keep it up
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