Unlike Monday, the room was empty.Unlike Monday, the room was empty. Scarcely had my rump settled in one of the over-stuffed chairs when the receptionist appeared in the doorway. "Miss French," she whispered as if about to share a secret with me. "Would you please come back to the desk for a moment?" I stood and was walking toward her when she turned and hurried off. In the lobby she apologized for having to call me back, explaining that she hadn't noticed the message attached to my file. The note instructed her to administer my medication when I arrived. When she fetched the bottle and cup from her file cabinet, I saw that the drawer contained a large number of bottles, although I couldn't tell if they were all the same. Opening the bottle, she poured the contents into the cup and slid it across the counter toward me. She watched me drink it all and held out her hand for the empty. "Thank you so much," she said. "Now you can go back in and make yourself comfortable until your escort calls for you." I had taken only a few steps when I heard her exaggerated whisper. "Oh, Miss French," she said. "The door on the far side of the waiting area leads to the rest room in case you should need to...." Her voice trailed off as she searched for the right words. She looked grateful when I smiled and thanked her for telling me. I really did appreciate the information and chose a seat close to the door she had mentioned. I found it strange that the waiting area had no magazines or anything for people to pass the time with. The only entertainment was soft "elevator music" coming from I don't know where. I was trying to guess what might be in store for me but I hadn't a clue. Scenes from Monday replayed in my mind. |