Bora! Bora! Bora!

Last April Abe, Lenlen, Tin, and I worked in a clinic in Boracay. According to the chief resident, Chepoy, the primary requirement for the doctors is to make "chika to the highest level" to all patients– no uncomfortable silences, no tapping of pens while waiting for lab results, and such. Being a schizoid this proved to be quite a challenge for me, but I surprised–and quite annoyed–myself most of the time. One 11 pm, though, I was spent and had no small talk left in me:

German woman: Thanks for cleaning my wound. How long do we have to wait for this anti-tetanus skin test?
Me: Er… (in horror) 30 minutes.
German woman: Okay.
Me: So.
German woman: So.
Me: So how long have you been in Boracay?
German woman: 2 weeks.
Me: Wonderful. Can you tell me ALL the activities you’ve had so far?

   And thus was 30 minutes consumed.

June 2007