A soft buzzer sounded in the silent cool space and Anu Madam took her eyes from his to the older couple on the couch. “Mr. and Mrs. Agarwal, Dr. Kapadia is ready to see you.”
————————————————————
Nilay seethed. For the next 45 minutes, he did nothing but fume. Walking out was his first instinct but the reports in his hand and the memory of that cold night two days ago made his feet grow roots. He ignored every call, every message, every work-related query that came in because he knew he would blast whoever he interacted with right now. It wasn't unheard of, but today he wanted to save his rage for this doctor’s assistant. Who did she think she was?
The older couple walked out of the sanctum, speaking in hush-hush tones at the reception. A minute later, they were on their way out. Nilay collected his reports and began to rise, waiting for the buzzer. It did not sound. He waited a whole minute. It did not sound.
He glanced at the clock.
50 minutes. He had waited for 50 minutes after the entitled assistant had snubbed her way inside.
He took a deep breath, rose to his feet and walked up to the reception. Anu Madam was smiling at her screen.
“Madam.”
Her eyes rose to his.
“How may I help you, Mr. Patel?”
“Do you know who I am?”
She smiled. That’s it. No yes, no no.
“Do you have the slightest idea how important my time is?”
She kept smiling. Gentle, noncommittal, and incredibly frustrating.
“Dr. Rajiv Kashyap referred me to Dr. Shravan. I was told he would see me immediately. I have been here all morning, Dr. Shravan has bailed and now Dr. Kapadia has not been informed about who I am. I waited patiently as he saw the older couple thanks to his assistant. What’s your excuse now? If you are unable to handle this,” he pulled his mobile out. “Let me have Rajiv handle it…”
The buzzer sounded.
“Dr. Kapadia is ready to see you now.”
Nilay stared at her. What kind of uber luxe place was this? All rich interiors and pathetic customer service. If he owned this place, he would fire every damn human resource,yesterday.
He glanced around the empty space. On a regular day, he would have taken an about turn, spread himself out on the couch, answered his calls and messages for another 50 minutes, and only then made his way inside — at his leisure. Maybe after a cup of coffee. Sadly, today was not the day to pull his stunts.
Mere mortal it is.
Nilay tucked his reports under his arm and quietly turned towards the inner sanctum. It was just as luxurious as the outside. The rich alley led to an atrium with another round seating area, one door half open with Dr. Shravan written in bold across the top. Nilay opened it and walked right in. Dr. Kapadia had invited him and was ‘ready.’ No point in knocking.
He stopped short.
The assistant was sitting on the doctor’s chair. Or shewasthe doctor…
“Take a seat, Mr. Patel.”
Nilay was rarely taken by surprise. Even rarely did he let that surprise show on his face. The momentary flicker of amused disdain on her face made him school his expression.
“Please call Dr. Kaapadia for me, Madam.” He pulled up a visitor’s chair and folded himself into it, crossing one leg over the other.
“You are looking at her.”
“You? Dr. Kaapadia?” He feigned surprise. “I don’t see any nameplates outside. How long have you been practising cardiology? Scratch that, how long have you been practising medicine?”
The reaction he had expected out of her was not coming. Nilay knew that this appointment was washed away now. He wasn’t going to get his diagnosis from her. Not for the lack of his own will. Her little game of making him wait was the clearest sign that she didn’t want to do her job but play a round of revenge.
“What do you do, Mr. Patel?” She sat back, unaffected. He noticed then that she did not wear a doctor’s coat. Neither did she have a stethoscope around her neck. Even her desk was clean. Empty. Could it be that she was playing with him? That she was really not the doctor but his assistant… where was the doctor though?
