A morning spent overthinking the incident that found my wife Cat in the hospital ward lounge crying because she’d been driven out of her ward by a hoard of visitors to another patient has led me to the following plan.
You’d think everyone understood hospitals are designed as a quiet place where the sick and injured can rest and recover, and not party central.
Remember that lounge I found Cat crying in? How hard would it have been to take the party out there and leave my wife in peace?
Should I ever end up in hospital and a comparable situation happens to me, I will:
- Pack up all my things.
- Throw open all the curtains.
- Tell the patient who is receiving so many guest that she needs this space more than I do.
- Walk out.
And when I’m asked what I’m doing, I will:
- Look the asker in the eye.
- Answer with the question: You don’t honestly believe I can be so selfish as to squat on such a valuable piece of real estate when it is obvious other people need it more than I do.
- Set up camp in the lounge.
- Refuse to go back on the same grounds.
Rather passive agressive of me, I know.
Maybe it’s a good thing I’m a writer and can find other ways to let the steam off.
Edwin Downward 