Tenth floor

Orange. The curtains are of light orange colour. The walls, bare and white. There is a small modern wooden drawer next to each bed, which are all covered with clean white linens. You can see four red faded letters - E X A M - through the thin covers of some pillows.

As I lie on this hard (but quite comfortable) hospital bed, my mind buzzed around with words. All while wondering why the heck is it so darn cold. The emptiness and the cold reminds me of a meat refrigerator. Cold, empty and quiet. Why do they not have thicker blankets here?

I've no idea what to do while waiting, so I do what I always do when I do not know what to do. I lie down and closed my eyes. Damn, I could fall asleep right here, right now. And with a nice comforter, I might never want to wake up.

I think this whole floor is dedicated to examinations only. No patients. No doctors walking around. There are nurses though. But I see rooms labeled, 'Pusat Peperikasaan'.

Yes, I'm in a hospital. No, I did not get hospitalized for anything. Just helping some student-doctors for their exams. I'm patient that they're supposed to interview and diagnose.

Anyway, they have these small rooms with two sided mirrors where the other side can see what you're doing in the next room, but you can't see them. Like in CSI's interrogation room. Except when they switch on the light on the other room, I can actually see them. Even hear them.

I have an urge to start waving at the mirror and say, 'I can hear you. Are you talking about me?'

But I didnt.

My doctor said I just need to answer some questions. Speak English, she said. I said okay. She said she hopes the candidate remembers that. That they're supposed to speak English. Sigh. I restrained from asking if they learn in English. I know a lot of them usually speak in Malay. I know a lot of them are Malays.

Not to sound discriminative, but I do know for a fact that hardly any staff or patients here speak English to each other. My doctor and two other ladies (one a psychologist, the other probably also staff or lecturer) speak exceptionally well English though.

So anyway, the trainee get 20 minutes to 'interrogate' me. I answer like I always do, and that might not be all too good a thing for her. I'm quite an exceptional case, if I must say so =]. I wonder what diagnose did she give me...

I get a pack of nasi tomato and RM50 remuneration for my time (I didnt expect payment). It's worth my waking up in the morning! I will so do it again. Haha.