Alpha to Omega

I sat in a waiting room for four hours today. I arrived at my appointed time of 8 AM, but still, I had to wait for four hours. I don't think I could possibly write something of any value without it containing a plethora of curse words. Such as FUCK. I will, however, tell you about the event that to me defines the kind of day I have had.

I was sitting patiently (considering) in the waiting room, perusing two to five year old editions of The Economist, worrying about China, and starving children, and effectively reproaching myself for my western advantages so as not to feel too bad about things (this is turning into another rant for another day), when I glanced up and saw the nurse that I had spoken to nary two minutes before, reaching for a tissue. She wasn’t looking directly at the box, but I noticed a curious blue line down the vertices of the tissue in question, and was completely dumbfounded when she noticed it and then decided (suddenly and out of nowhere) that she no longer needed the last tissue.

We have all encountered this, of course. Maybe you are that person who leaves the last sliver of brownie in the pan because you have too many important lazy-person things to do. If so, I think you know my feelings on the matter. My only question is what is it that you could possibly have to do that is so important? If blowing your nose is no longer important, and getting a new box of tissues was never important, then what exactly is it that you do? In the nurses case she turned on the radio and listened to bad music (so, so bad...and when Rock the Casbah came on she turned it down) while she did Cosmo quizzes with her nurse friends. I wish it were not so bland and cliché, but unfortunately, it is.