An Apology On His Behalf

The doctor behind the desk was smallish and had a friendly teddy bear look. He smiled at me and asked what the problem was. I had calmed down and slowly explained it to him. As he wrote down my prescriptions, I asked, “Why are most of the doctors here so cruel?” He stopped what he was doing and looked at me.

“Why do you say that?” He queried. I told him of the experience with the doctor who thought talking politics was far better than seeing to patients. He looked disappointed.

“Please let me apologise on his behalf. You know doctors are not getting enough welfare and are not being well paid.” He explained. “But you are nice, how can that be?” I said.

He continued typing out my prescription on the computer as he answered, “It’s not that easy, you know, people respond to stress in different ways.”