NORA #JustWriteIt

prelude

 I was running late. I had to be there by 8:30 am. The traffic was bad and I had just 5 minutes to get there, find a suitable parking space for my car and get to that damn office. There was no way I would do all those things in such a short time, not when I was stuck in a hold-up, kilometers away from where I needed to be.

As soon as the traffic cleared I hit on the accelerator speeding up in order to reduce my tardiness and hoping I didn't get in an accident.

"Goodmorning madam" I said to the only person I saw in the corridor as soon I reached the ward. I assumed she was one of the nurses according to her outfit.

"Good morning Miss. How may I help you?" she replied to my greeting with a soft kind voice.

"I have an appointment for a medical check up" I told her. She asked what visit it was and what time it was. When I told her the time she looked at her watch but chose not to comment on my 15 minutes late arrival.

"Go down the hall. Second to last door on your right. Wait there until you're called." she gave the directions and walked away.

I did as I had been told. Ten minutes later the "second to last door" opened and a very young man walked out. I guessed he would be the one to attend to me.

"Name?" he almost barked. No greetings.

"Good morning. I am Nora D'AMORE." I tried to be respectful and kind.

"You're late. Very late. Com'in" he instructed and I silently went in. He still didn't greet nor reply to my greeting. Badass? Could he? Maybe I would have to tell him that according to my dear grandma, forgetting to greet people or never minding to reply theirs is a huge show of lack of education and that he shouldn't work in a hospital if he was being moody already at nine in the morning. What for! Because I was late?! Or maybe he had the right. I wouldn't care.

He took out my file and read some lines, then he lifted his face and for the first time he smiled. When he saw I was still standing he quickly said "Siediti, Nora"(sit down Nora) Oh. I see there are no formalities in the office. 28 years old men, must be sure they treat you like you're their mate or some friend. Eventually I pulled a seat and decided to obey him, again.

"Vediamo. Sei di origini italiane." (Let's see. You are origin of Italy.) OMG! Of all the information I have filled in that file he regarded only this aspect, which really has nothing to do with this appointment.

"Vedi il problema è che sei veramente in ritardo. Vedrò di accelerare le cose."(You see, the problem is you're really late. Imma try to be fast.)

Why the hell was he still using Italian with me? Have I also written that I could speak Italian? I haven't replied to any of the comments he has been saying with Italian and that should have made him doubt I could speak Italian. Having an Italian surname or origin didn't mean you were actually Italian or that you could speak the language. I thought Italians were smart. This guy wasn't at all. Oh perhaps he wasn't Italian.

He might had read my thoughts because he eventually decided to speak in English.

"So Miss D'Amore I'ma ask you a set of questions and you gotta answer them." I nodded and he proceeded, but in the wrong language.

"Malattie comuni in famiglia?" (any common or transmissible diseases in family?)  I answered his question in English. He continued his interrogatory, in Italian. I surrendered.

"Sei sposata al momento?" (Are you married, currently?) 

"nope".

"Ti sei mai sposata?" (Have you ever got married) I could swear this wasn't among the questions.