Raffled

I noticed his rings first.

Splashes of gold, one with a gemstone appointed in the middle, all blue and forceful, the other more subtle and angular, alit upon his thumb.

You here to see the doctor?

Yes, 9am appointment

Mr. Thuong doesn’t remember me but I remember him.

He’s lost the full scrubs in favour of what seems to be Tuesday Casual? Just an N-95 surgical mask and shower cap lining his tightly cropped hair. A golf tee in forest green and white, Raffles Medical embroidered across the back, and a pair of 30×30 Levi’s 501s.

I notice the jeans because I used to wear them exclusively, way back in the day.

That’s my size

He turns his back and that’s when I notice the inky colours tracking just above his elbow, the polo shirt belying what is definitely more ‘more’ up above. I squint to make out the image but it’s not quite clear. I’m left to wonder

Why’d he get it there if nobody will see it

I realize the answer: t-shirts must not be his thing

He’s a tank topper, to be sure.

You need to take rapid test first

Oh, I didn’t know that, I would have come earlier

I plead, hopeful that they’ll accept my test from last week

So many ducking tests

I reluctantly waddle into a seat in the white testing tent and breathe out, deeply

Why in the world didn’t Zoom call them outbreak rooms?

I wonder, then answer my own question.

The irony of her asking me to take a deep breath is not lost. Pushed it a bit too hard on a post-Covid bike ride my lungs weren’t quite ready for and have had some patches of wheeze, of discomfort. Shortness.

You’ll be fine

I reassure myself.

I try to decide whether it’s the act of visiting the clinic or the distraction of being out has calmed my nerves

Which have been thoroughly wracked

Ok, please remove your mask

Wasabi

My mantra for getting over the discomfort.

She snakes the tiny brush into the nasal cavity

That’s probably far enough

Nope

She means business

Wasabi

For whatever reason this is a particularly thorough test. She slides it a touch further, twists, and then

Leaves it there

Wasabi wasabi wasabi

And just as slowly as she pushed it in

Inexorably pulls it out

Made that one count eh?

I say to her, cracking wise in perfect, fluent Vietnamese

That part never happened. Instead I quietly thank her

I wanna say it’s all mundane at this point

The nose normal

And usually it’s no big deal, a necessary hassle and a spatter of mild pain for the greater good

It’s not real pain. An inconvenience, a discomfort.

Suck it up.

But today the sushi was a bit stronger than I’m used to.