I went to visit my orthopaedic surgeon and as usual I was endlessly waiting for the receptionist to call my name. All I could see around were elderly couples – three of them as man and wife, and two good-old friends (I felt young… youngest!). Well, after I realised I have forgotten my Reader’s Digest at home, after I played Tom & Jerry on my cell phone for the nth time, all I could do was observe my fellow beings.
My immediate neighbours were the ‘there’s something good about everything’ types. Each of them held a walking stick. The one with the uncle sitting besides me was spanking new. Once he realised they have started getting bored and his beloved will feel the pain all the more, he started some soft conversation. He drew her attention (and mine too, unknowingly) towards his walking stick… oh he really appeared to love this one!
How she told him it was a cat’s face (the wooden handle), how he corrected her that it was a dog! How they both started adoring and analysing it together, “Oh see these are the eyes, and these cuts here… these are the mouth lines… oh see they have not marked the ears…”! So innocent, so much like second childhood, so inspiring, so much love!
Some time later, the vivacious receptionist started chatting with almost each one of us. We realised that after my turn (the next one) it’s my favourite couple’s turn. We also realised that the couple had arrived before me. When I was tired sitting already, they sure must be. So I decided to tell them that they can proceed, once my name was called. But before I could, the sweet uncle told me that his beloved is having problem sitting for so long. I said they can go before me. But then his self esteem resisted, “No, no, it’s ok, you go ahead.” And after my strong convincing, for the sake of his love, he agreed.
Together with their sticks they walked to the ortho, together with their walking sticks they came out, together they thanked me. While aunty gently held my hand, “I hope we didn’t take too long, thank you,” uncle said everything without saying a word.
And then slowly supporting each other and taking the support of their sticks they disappeared out of the corridors. Well, their walking sticks, the one with a dog face and the other one too, sure are a support that assists them while they walk… the life, together and gracefully!
