The doctor's signature

I was at the hospital today to get a medical certificate. The last time I had to get one was in 1993, so I had no idea where I was supposed to go and what I was supposed to do. Luckily for me, I met a friend doctor. I learned that I had to go to the top floor. At the door, a notice read "Medical Certificate at 11:00 AM" and it wasn't even 10:00 when I got there. I walked in, nevertheless, to inquire about the medical certificate in case I misunderstood the notice. The lady at the table said rudely and with a frowned look, "11 o'clock!!!" I thought to myself that it served me right for not paying heed to the notice. After all, I am literate and supposed to know how to read, right?

Since there was plenty of time left and my husband and I were hungry, we went to a restaurant nearby and enjoyed coffee, suja, toast and puri with mushroom daatsi. The first things that a waiter brought to our table were two cups of coffee. We asked, "Why two cups of coffee and no suja?"  The waiter was surprised we said we hadn't asked for two cups of coffee. After some exchange of words we realized our double coffee was understood as 'two cups' rather than 'one large cup.' Perhaps, we should have said 'large.' The waiter went back to get me my suja and she asked if she should take back one of the cups of coffee. I explained to her the difference between 'double' and 'two' with respect to orders like this. At the end of it all, I realized I had yet again acted the teacher I was at heart.  The funny thing is I myself ended up getting confused between 'double' and 'large.'

Back at the hospital, I was surprised I had to pay 15 bucks for the medical certificate form. The lady at the counter explained that I needed to fill in the first two lines and then go to Chamber No.4 for signature. Filling in the form was easy, but getting the signature wasn't. At the door of  Chamber 4 was a notice that read "Signing of Medical Certificates after 1:00 PM. To bring citizenship ID and other relevant documents." There were about two hours left. I ran to a shop nearby and got photocopies of my ID. I ran back to an information desk nearby the counters where we get our medicines. I asked the lady at the counter what documents were required to get the medical certificate signed. She said there was no need for any documents. The doctor just signs the paper. I said the notice at the door of Chamber Four informs the signing will happen only after 1:00 PM and that there's a long queue. She said I could go to chamber 19 next to the canteen and I happily rushed upstairs. The chamber was big but almost empty. Somebody looking like a doctor was sitting in front of a computer close to the door. He very kindly asked what I wanted and I told him that  I was told I could get my medical certificate signed by a doctor in that chamber. He said the doctor was attending a meeting and that I could get it signed at the emergency as well. This meant I had to walk to the new building and I was already exhausted from running around like a mad woman... in search of nothing and no one.

When I got to the emergency area, there were a few people standing in line outside the door to the doctor's consulting room. As I stood there waiting for a chance to go in, I saw a young model type girl in stilettos bring in another girl who was walking in pain. She looked very ill and could barely hold herself together. I asked the others in line if they were waiting for a check up and two of them said they were waiting for their patients who were already inside with the doctor. One other said nothing and didn't look as though she needed immediate consulting  with the doctor. The next minute she walks in and waits and I guessed it was to make sure she got her chance next. I couldn't bear to see the girl in such terrible pain, so I walked in and interrupted the doctor very politely. I asked if the girl could lie down for a while on the couch in his office as she was serious. The doctor said very rudely, "If you think she's serious, you can take her down there!" He didn't even bother to get up from his chair to take a look at what I was talking about, nor to show where 'down there' we were supposed to take the girl. I walked towards the security guard at the entrance door and asked where the girl could be taken and he guided them along the hallway to the right. 

I then started wondering if this doctor would bother to sign my medical certificate and the thought of seeing his face again was a painful thought. Nevertheless, I stood patiently outside the door. Just then somebody in a doctor's attire walked in to the chamber and then walked out in a jiffy. I stopped him and asked if he was a doctor and he said he was. I showed him my medical certificate and asked if he could sign  on  it. He very kindly signed on it and advised us to go back to the office where we got the form from for the hospital seal. My objective of visiting the hospital that day was fulfilled. 

As I passed by the consulting room happily with my signed certificate in my hand, I saw the girl in terrible pain inside getting checked by the undoctorly doctor. I felt happier.  

My belief that Koenchhogsum is with those who wish well for others was confirmed yet again. I claim that Sangay or Guru Rinpochhe came in the guise of the other doctor. The thing to think about is that  the guard had told me earlier there was only one doctor on duty at the emergency.

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Having said all that, I can't help wondering what the whole purpose of the medical certificate is to those agencies who ask for it, when there is no authenticity to it. I had thought such certificates were meant to assure the agencies that we didn't have any serious or dangerously contagious health problems. All that we were doing was paying for the form and getting a doctor's signature that perhaps we could consider to have been paid for indirectly.