cafe

In the entrance archway of the house in which the doctor's practice is located, two women are having a cigarette before they begin work. It is just before eight in the morning now, an early appointment to have a twenty four hour blood pressure gauge fitted. Well, actually it is just to be attached.

A friendly greeting, and then to the waitinag room, to wait to be called. There is a young woman wearing a pair of black trousers ripped at the knees waiting there already.


The call comes over the loudspeaker system, the name , and back into the corridor. Follow the nurse to a small room, at her direction take of the shirt.  A band around the arm, a tube joining this to a small box which is attached to the waist.

And that is it.
Leave the praxis with the machine hidden under the jacket.
It beeps and hums regularly. Then the inflatable band on the arm tightens as air is pumped into it.

After a while, the pressure goes away, the machine beeps again, and that is the measurement over.
Untill the next time.

Take the short walk home.

The son is there, he wants to go to the cafe.
Just to go there, have a cup of coffee, a piece of cake.
Be silent, sit there with his father.
He would not miss it for the world.