Orientation?
Day one of orientation. A three day event to get the new people oriented to the new system called AKUH.
I smile and turn around to see if anyone else listens intently to the sarcasm of the song, but nobody is smiling.
All new interns, residents and fellows accumulate in the auditorium. For all important events (and to impress newcomers) a background music is played which is an instrumental mix of popular Pakistani songs. As I enter I hear the following song’s music, “Chalay to cut hi jaay ga safar, aahista, aahista”. I smile and turn around to see if anyone else listens intently to the sarcasm of the song, but nobody is smiling. They all look pleased to be selected in this institute and seem to concentrate on nothing else. It starts officially. The first presenter, with the most interesting voice starts, “Welcome to the AKUH family!”. All that goes in my mind is that I’ve to report at ER front and am getting late. I leave the auditorium and the self praise . I already have the timetable for the three days and have marked a circle at the tea and lunch timings.
Five hours later I come back just five minutes before the lunch time. Just then they announce, “Another presentation and then there will be a lunch break”. What! I am in ER front, how can I waste so much time. I had told Dr Hisala (my wonderful, wonderful colleague with me in ER front) that I will have lunch quickly and return immediately. The last presentation finishes but takes away twenty minutes of my life. “Any questions”, asks the presenter. And to this the new ones start questioning one after the other. My brain fumes at that. ‘Young blood, with their curious minds!’, I think to myself as my old blood fumes at the delay.
And then its announced. Lunch time. As expected I am the first one to arrive. Fried fish, chinese rice, drinks and mayo garlic sauce (which on the first glance looked like raita). Our Dr Nosheen joins me. We giggle away as we devour. In comes the sweet dish. Caramel.
Doctor Nosheen asks me if I would like to have one. I nod. She leaves and returns with two in her plate. As we chat away she continues to eat. “Oh, I ate yours as well”, she explains once done.
Poet’s corner
And in the end I’ll leave you with this.
