Tower Of Babel

Well crew, I just here a pass some time. I have had a pretty decent weekend so far. Saturday started with me driving to Port Antonio for the little practice that I have set up there. This was my third sortie there since I began in February. (I go the last Saturday in each month…idea is that most peeps should have some funds as they might just have been paid). Got there by 10:30 AM to find that I actually had a patient waiting on my arrival! Now, the smiley is up not because I like to keep patients waiting. But moreso because I am happy to say that it seems as time passes, the practice will grow. Yesterday, I saw all of six patients….which is triple the amount I saw last time. Means that word getting ’round, and though medicine has taken on a more commercial approach in recent years with people now advertising openly, I still feel that the best method of advertising for doctors is patients spreading the word if they feel that you’re good. That is how it really used to be in the past. In fact, there were guidelines governing the size of the letters that a doctor could use on their office doors and buildings in the past. Anything akin to a billboard was thought to be in poor taste.

So, I did see the patients, and then after closing, headed to the Marina for lunch at about 2 PM…as the gases were moving around audibly in my belly indicating that I needed to get some grub into my stomach. A Red Stripe was the appetizer with some garlic bread. I decided to pass on the Cream of Red Peas Soup…..I feared that the owners might add a hefty tax to my bill for excessive emissions of the flatulent kind! (AKA farting up de place!) In these situations, one does not need to add flame to the fire….Red Peas Soup was the wrong fuel here….

I decided to try out the pork chops as the main course. After waiting about fifteen minutes, it arrived, and so did the rain. Thus, I had to be seated at the bar….no complaints really. Listen me, when the plate serving platter arrived with the pork and the waitress placed it in front of me, I paused while mine eyes feasted on the enormity of it! I had to muffle under my breath one “Bumboclaat!” I have never seen a pork chop so massive and thick. For a minute, I felt almost Neanderthal…….as the large knife that I was handed to carve the meaty peice of swine brought back memories of that which Crocodile Dundee had weilded…..(you remeber that knife?) Only a caveman could be expected to consume so much meat at one setting. Anyhow, the slab of smoked pork was seated on top of the potatoes which accompanied it, and carrots, cucumber, sweet peppers and assorted leaves of lettuce made the salad which had a nice light dressing.

I took the utensils in my hand and commenced the journey. Damn good eating it was. I finished all the salad, most of the potatoes, but found the pork a wee bit too large. I admitted defeat, as we say in Jamdown….me did buss!

As much as I was desirous of trying out the rum cake for dessert, there was no room available in the inn to accomodate the sweet pastry that bore the aroma of my favourite alcoholic brew. Next time I guess. I paid the bill happily and then started the drive back to Town. Had to tek it easy as the roads were wet due to rainfall. Of course, the usual stop at Blueberry Hill just outside of Buff Bay, to purchase what is to me, the best rass Jerk Pork in Jamaica had to be done. Contined the drive home and made it safely back by about 5:30 PM. Not a bad day at all. Came home with some funds in pocket too….I guess you can call it the fruits of labour.

Today has been spent tekking it easy so far. But right now, I feel a bit bored….probably why I have been moved to post to pass some time. Oh, BTW, if you recall I had mentioned in my last post that my gratuity had not yet been paid……well, guess what, luck of the draw struck! Friday I was called by the lady in charge of the Medical Records and Insurance Office. She told me that there was a cheque ready for me in Accounts…payment for medical reports written on behalf of some patients. (I did not even remember….some from as far back as 2004!) Went to check on that only for the cashier to deliver not one, but two cheques to me…the other was my gratuity. So, man need to go bank tomorrow.

Last but not least, when is our government going to realize that Nurses are one of this country’s greatest exports? Here is another article speaking about the difficulties experienced by these invaluable healthcare workers. And they are talking about training more? Look, if you nuh pay de people dem a decent wage, you coulda train thousands per year….dem naw go tan yahso! If dem go foreign, dem lap dem up like puppy a feed pon milk, and they get paid far more, are better recognized with less stressful working conditions, can live a reasonable life etc etc etc. But, who am I preaching to? (BTW, the same can be said for our doctors as well.) Take care and enjoy the rest of the weekend.

This entry was posted on Sunday, April 30th, 2006 at 7:41 pm and is filed under General. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. Both comments and pings are currently closed.