So This Was My Saturday... How Was Yours?
I spent all day Saturday in an abortion clinic watching movies on TBS. Despite the lure of Turner Broadcasting Systems, I wasn’t there simply to watch some television, but rather to accompany someone to their “appointment.” That term, however, is relative, because although the “appointment” was scheduled for 12:30pm, we didn’t leave the clinic until around 8:40pm.
Upon arrival, we were bamboozled by overly-religious zealots, who saw fit to call us murderers and foretell our descent into hell once we died an unpleasant, early death. I shrugged it off, simply because I’m used to hearing these things, but the people that I accompanied take their Christianity very seriously and live in a bubble of suburban myth, so they seemed shaken by the yelling and the harsh comments.
The waiting room was full by the time we were buzzed inside, so I quickly snatched myself a seat beside a bored mother exhausted by her extensive crossword puzzle. I opened up my own book and began to read, but got the uncomfortable feeling that the woman was reading over my shoulder. At first this made me uncomfortable, and I opened the book wider so that she could read without having to crane her neck.
The time passed slowly. Nurses came in and out, giving updates on patients. Confidentiality doesn’t mean much at an abortion clinic, as the nurses yelled out information such as “Kelly is doing fine, she’s in recovery now, they just wheeled her out and she says she wants a grilled cheese!”
Time wore on and on. I watched Basic Instinct. A nurse perkily announced that the sole OB-GYN performing the procedure was called away to a live birth, so all appointments would be on hold until he returned. Clearly, everyone in the waiting room wished the woman a speedy pregnancy. Upon reflection, it’s a little ironic to wish someone a safe and healthy birth while waiting with a roomful of people scheduled to terminate their own pregnancies. But whatever. I watched The Bodyguard, which, upon reflection, is a horrible movie. I made friends with the girl sitting in front of me. By the time the young girl’s name was called, everyone was so tired of waiting that they clapped for her, like we were at her graduation. I watched Something to Talk About. Erin Brockovich was scheduled to come on at 8:00. I watched that too. I gossiped with the nurse, who, I finally realized was crunk after she responded to a mother’s complaint by yelling across the waiting room, “YOU WERE LIED TO!”
Finally, FINALLY, the clinic portion of my evening was over. I still had to drive around town filling prescriptions. Gaye kept me sane throughout the evening, however, and her presence was greatly appreciated. We caused some trouble at the dirty Taco Bell (it wasn’t even that good) before collapsing in front of the TV to watch some Cillian Murphy.