I looked at my watch, as I stood in the
queue, waiting desperately for my turn. I was getting late for my office, hence
the desperation. Though the registration window normally opens at 7.30
a.m. and it was already 7.45 a.m., yet today there were no signs of anyone in this
CGHS dispensary. I had come early just to beat long queues. I did succeed and
was the first in the queue. But two old gentlemen who came after me requested
me to allow them stand ahead of me. I obliged them considering their advanced
age. Just then I heard another request, this time from a very aged lady. She was
barely able to walk and I found her in great pain as she approached me at the
registration window with the request. I felt pity for her. She was in dire
strait. She was definitely of my mother’s age, whose medicines I was standing
in the queue for. Compassion for fellow human being took the better of me. I
obliged her as well. Finally the registration window opened. I was the fourth
to register. After registration I went to see the doctor. I saw the same lady in
the waiting room resting against an almirah since there were no chairs in the
waiting room. She had in the meantime requested one of the two old gentlemen to
allow her ahead of him to see the doctor. This old gentleman also obliged her.
She went in, showed the previous prescription to the doctor on duty, who issued
her the same medicine for another two months. Probably like my mother, she had
been advised “continue same medicine” (CSM) by the referrel hospital. The CGHS dispensaries
do not issue medicines for more than two months at a stretch. After the lady
and the old gentleman had left, I got the medicines issued for my mother and
came out just couple of minutes later, expecting the old lady at the medicine
issuing counter. However, I was surprised to see her sitting in a car. Instead
a young gentleman, less than my age, stood at the counter. This gentleman received the medicines on behalf of his old
mother and left the place, driving the same car. Only then did I realize that
this young gentleman was old lady’s son, who had troubled his old mother to come all
the way to the CGHS dispensary in person, just to save on a couple of minutes,
for that was the extra time I spent at the CGHS dispensary to complete the formalities. In other words this gentleman had “used” his mother merely to
save those couple of minutes, oblivious of the fact that the whole exercise had
drenched his mother of all her energy. I had no word for this heartless son and
his selfish ways. I felt cheated, but also felt happy and satisfied at helping
three old citizens in the early hours of the day. Inspite of all this I did
manage to reach office in time.
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