The Waiting Room: Pt. 3: Section 1 | Teen Ink

The Waiting Room: Pt. 3: Section 1

July 9, 2010
By AgnotTheOdd GOLD, Aptos, California
AgnotTheOdd GOLD, Aptos, California
17 articles 0 photos 315 comments

Favorite Quote:
"The reason for your unreasonable treatment of my reason so enfeebles my reason that I have reason to complain of your reason" ~ Miguel de Cervantes Saavedra


“Quite a tale, quite a tale. Just more evidence that goes to show what you don’t know {can} kill you,” I commented, feeling slightly embarrassed at implementing that hackneyed modification of the old cliché. Bethany and Rick nodded in accordance.

Bethany leaned in close to me and asked in a whisper, “Say, who’s that over there?” as she subtly extended her finger in the mop-headed girl’s general direction. “She’s looking lonely,” she added.

“You don’t think we should leave her be? She looks content the way she is,” I replied.

“Oh just take a look at that, will yeah? She’s moping about, head down. Awfully sad looking if you ask me. Hell, this whole room is sad. The least we could do is ask her if she would like to come sit with us.” I saw that Bethany did have a point, however, I still felt like I violating some sort of personal privacy of the recluse girl.

“Beth, she wants to be left alone,” was all I could manage to say.

“Who’s to say she does. I’ve known plenty of people who just sat in corners, who were really dying for someone to acknowledge them. But if you insist, we do not have to do anything this instant.”

What would have happened next, myself resigning to Beth’s indomitable will, brooding silently to myself, I could not know, because at that point in time a loud, rather egregious fellow cavorted his jolly way right into the office, feigning politeness with the removal of his fedora. He was exhibiting some studly shoes. He had slapped on some generic brown slacks (complete with suspenders) and white dress shirt with the sleeves rolled halfway up his bicep, probably to show off. He wore a black leather tie with some pink flamingo zest running down it. It took me a moment to notice that both the top of his shirt and his fedora were wet. Funny, as I hadn’t noticed it was raining outside.

I glanced outside for a just a jiff and I swear, it looked like Katrina all over again. Rain was violently pelting the ground, creating mud and murk out of formerly good soil. The wind was tearing at trees, trying to pull them screaming from their roots, throwing everything it could (including news papers and other random assortments of commonly occurring street items) at them. Now that I noticed all this, the sound was deafening. Had this just started? I was dry, I know that. I figured I’d ask the guy when he sat down.

The new arrival egotistically strutted up to the Receptionist, though he looked like he was slightly favoring his right side, and rested his elbows on the counter, his head in his palms. It all looked to me like some sort of pseudo-masculine swoon, perhaps a bizarre mating ritual. I’m not an expert, but I don’t think it would turn me on. Ah but he did seem the gregarious sort, didn’t he? He certainly showed confidence in the way he swaggered. That cool-cat walk of his. Make a grand entrance into a dive bar. I got this feeling he had a lot of experience with those.

He leaned in close as you please – a little too close for comfort if you ask me – and said smoothly, if not slightly eerily, “Hey. The names Gill. Spelled like the –” he cut himself off to make gill-like gestures on his neck with his hands, “I had an appointment for 11:00 a.m. with Dr. Tlihg. Have a lump, see.” He gestured to a spot right behind his ear.

The Receptionist gave a neat flutter of her eyelashes and replied, “Dr. Tlihg is out on some personal business at the moment. But you are welcome to remain in the waiting room until he returns. I don’t believe it should be too much longer.”

“The Doctor is out on person business?”

“That’s what I said, isn’t it?” she mocked sweetly.

“Whoa-no-no-no. Let me get this straight. You are implying the Doctor is out? As in, not in this building? Not anywhere I can meet with him, even though I have scheduled an {appointment}?” His face reddened and all that semblance of suave ways instantly vaporized.

“I am not implying. I am stating directly. If you have an issue, you may call the Doctor at this number,” the Receptionist sloppily scribbled a number down on a vibrant blue sticky note and thrust it at Gill.

“When should he get back to me?”

“He checks his work-related messages when he gets back into his office.”

I swear I could see steam leaking out of his ears. His teeth grated together. Hands clenched and tightened; that can’t be comfortable. He looked like a beet and while I pitied his situation, I couldn’t help but snort back a snicker. I looked around and felt a little awkward that I was the only one who was paying attention to the exchange. That girl was still absorbed in her book and the old folks were flirting with each other, Little Ricky in the middle. Poor kid.

Maybe eavesdropping is wrong, but hey, everyone’s doing it. It has been around for ages and it’s still in style. Or, maybe it never was in style. One of those two. Anyway, I couldn’t help it in this case. Gill looked like he was about to cause a real ruckus, who wouldn’t want to bear witness to that? And maybe he would have, too.

However, just before Gill was about to explode, I heard the door slam open with an excruciatingly loud {Ka-Thud}! The door swung into the doorstop and stayed open. {Nice dramatic flair}, I thought to myself. For such a dramatic display, whatever caused the door to fling open was certainly taking it’s time to flutter in. My heart fluttered with anticipation. That’s when I noticed the shadow.


The author's comments:
As always {} represent italics. This is riddled with some inside jokes. I had to do a bit of research on schizophrenia - truly a fascinating condition. That about sums it up

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This article has 5 comments.


on Nov. 21 2010 at 8:43 pm
AgnotTheOdd GOLD, Aptos, California
17 articles 0 photos 315 comments

Favorite Quote:
"The reason for your unreasonable treatment of my reason so enfeebles my reason that I have reason to complain of your reason" ~ Miguel de Cervantes Saavedra

Ive worn it to all sorts of occasions.  I like to use it at formal mock trial occasions.  Model UN.  Graduating from junior high was fun with that.  I thought it was a fun parody of formality.  What a little rebel.

on Nov. 20 2010 at 11:39 pm
MiiSs_AlySsA SILVER, Fall River, Massachusetts
8 articles 3 photos 26 comments

Favorite Quote:
"Your Hold On Me Is Pemeant And Unbreakable. Don't Forget That..."

"Oh yea, Burgers for the boys.." - Haha!! A friend

nah-uh! really? i wanna see a tie like that! lol :D it sounds amazing haha :D

on Nov. 20 2010 at 8:03 pm
AgnotTheOdd GOLD, Aptos, California
17 articles 0 photos 315 comments

Favorite Quote:
"The reason for your unreasonable treatment of my reason so enfeebles my reason that I have reason to complain of your reason" ~ Miguel de Cervantes Saavedra

Thanks. And my description of gill's tie, thats the tie i use on formal occasions

on Nov. 20 2010 at 12:44 pm
MiiSs_AlySsA SILVER, Fall River, Massachusetts
8 articles 3 photos 26 comments

Favorite Quote:
"Your Hold On Me Is Pemeant And Unbreakable. Don't Forget That..."

"Oh yea, Burgers for the boys.." - Haha!! A friend

Awww I wish Gill could've had the chance to flip out :D haha but still it makes you wonder who is abut to come in and join the party.. :)

AsIAm PLATINUM said...
on Sep. 12 2010 at 2:24 pm
AsIAm PLATINUM, Somewhere, North Carolina
48 articles 3 photos 606 comments

Favorite Quote:
"According to some, heroic deaths are admirable things. (Generally those who don't have to do it. Politicians and writers spring to mind.) I've never been convinced by this argument, mainly because, no matter how cool, stylish, composed, unflappable, manly, or defiant you are, at the end of the day you're also dead. Which is a little too permanent for my liking." — Jonathan Stroud (Ptolemy's Gate)

Favorite part so far!