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Veronica feels the immense head pressure she used
to experience while taking exams in high school. This is why she
hated school so much, she thinks to herself. “I don’t
want to choose one of several options. I tried it before, but my
category never exists on the paper.” She doesn’t want
to stop crying at all. Her situation is so different. But this
form is what stands between her and the Doctor. She must pass it.
She flips the form over, swiftly, like an over-easy egg on a pan,
and looks at all the insurance questions she cannot answer either.
She glances over the headings: “Patient Employer Information,
Insurance, Information and Assignment of Benefits” They
seem to be written in a foreign language. She does not know what
any of them mean. A phone ringing distracts her from her form. “Hello?” The weeping woman to her right answers her cell phone. “Oh how are you? Where are you?” …”Was your flight OK?”… “No, I already know, they canceled because of some concert tickets they forgot they had. Is your meeting going OK? When are you coming home?”…. The woman’s voice sounds so perky, so fake. “Oh, I know it’s early.” She continues. “I just thought I’d get a head start on some food shopping for tonight. Actually, I’m in the supermarket right now. It’s a great time to shop, you know? There’s nobody here. There are absolutely no lines.” Veronica raises her head to look at the woman talking on the phone. She stares at her fake mask of smile, while her face is still wet with trails of tears. “Wow, this asparagus looks lovely. I’m going to get some for us. OK, darling, I got to go. I’ll talk to you later. I love you” The woman hangs up. Veronica looks around. Some patients make eye contact with each other. This cell phone conversation |
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