GIVING DR BERNARD A VISIT

Assalammualaikum Wr. Wb.

What a way to usher in the month of August.

I ceremoniously fell sick last Sunday.

I slept on it but as Monday slowly and painfully crawls in, my fever did not improve one bit.

Paid the family GP a visit.

FORTUNATELY  there's not much patients.

Dr Bernard Cheong's clinic is notorious for his never ending waiting list.

Because for one main reason, he IS good. 

Those in my area long enough would know about his clinic.

In the past, if I get sick, Arwah Nenek will send me, take a number and then do her marketing

while I will be left waiting for my queue number to be called. 

If she or Arwah Atuk wishes to pay Dr Bernard a visit, 

they will make me go and take a queue number before they themselves come down.

By the time they arrived, they will only wait for a number or two before theirs is called.

I did most of the waiting!

Talk about precise timing and child exploitation. 

Of course, everything comes with an upah, in form of money or food. LOL!

Anyway, when I was at his clinic on Monday, 

I realised that even though the clinic's deco has changed,

the stuff has not! 

Betul punya loyal!

I should have brought my camera and snap a picture of my medical records.

It was thick and when I glanced at its first page, it dated Feb 1987.

I've been seeing Dr Bernard for over 20 years!

Anyway, he told me its just a common flu

and with his usual assuring advice and smile-got-meaning,

he told me to have ample rest, eat the medicine and in 2 days, I will be up and running.

Why smile-got-meaning?

Because the visit cost me $45.

Yes.

He is famous not only for his long queues but also expensive rates.

Somehow people still throng to see him, including my family.

Because we know, no matter how long we waited, how expensive the visit is,

we will be, quoting Dr Bernard, up and running in one or two days.

And true enough, today, I finally got the strength to face this notebook.

 

Wassalam