ONE HUNDRED AND FORTY-ONE

INSIDE A HOSPITAL IN SOUTHRAIN

A man paced up and down the hallway, fuming in great anger.

"Where is doctor Rockridge!" he growled at the nurse seated at the reception.

"He is currently in theatre, sir," the nurse answered in a trembling voice.

"What time will he be out?"

"I am not sure, sir. I think…."

"Find out!" the man said in a low voice. It sounded as if he was fighting hard to suppress his anger.

Nodding her head in fear, the nurse ran down the hallway.

The man raised his hand to glance at his wrist watch. He walked slowly towards the entrance of the theatre. He sighed and continued to pace up and down. He felt a heavy sneeze coming, and he sneezed angrily. Even his sneeze was wild and angry. Everything about him was angry. He felt the anger welling up from deep within. He closed his eyes tightly and saw darkness, followed by some tiny starts which flew around in his vision.

He shook his head and sat on a chair in the hallway. No! He could not sit anymore. He stood up and walked up and down. He peeped into the rooms along the hallway.

Someone greeted him, "afternoon, sir," but he did not hear it. He did not even see the person; even though the person passed right in front of him. He put his hands in his pocket and pulled them out again in anger.

His chest felt tight, his fists were clenched. His breathing was hurried and loud. He was furious. He checked his wrist watch again, and feeling like it was slow and therefore wrong, confirmed the time with the clock on the wall in the hallway. It was the same. The time shown on his wrist watch was correct.

He told himself he was waiting. He had nowhere to rush to. He was just going to wait!