Reading at the Doctor's Office

Recently I’ve had lots of doctor’s appointments and so, whenever I have to go, I take a book with me. There is a lot of time to read while in the waiting room or in the office itself. Reading is the one advantage to having weekly appointments. I know that I will have at least half an hour of reading on that particular day. I normally read a lot so every time I go I have a new book and every week, without fail, someone comments on the fact that I have a book. I don’t see a specific doctor, in this particular office they rotate, so there are a lot of different people I see.

The nurses remain more constant and there is one nurse in particular that is my book buddy. Even if she is not my nurse for the visit she always comes to say hello and see what book I am reading. There was one week that I walked in and she told me that she had a book for me to read. She faltered over the name but I was able to fill the rest in. She looked at me in surprise and I admitted that I had gotten it from the library and read it over the weekend and was hoping to suggest it to her. She grumbled in mock disgust and then wrote down the title and author of the book that I was reading.

The doctors always say the same thing when they see me with a book.
“A book. That’s a good idea.”

What do they expect me to do while I am waiting for them, sometimes more than an hour? One of the doctors wondered how much I actually read and was rather surprised when I told him I go through, on average, one book a week. Sometimes it is more than one (when the book is really good and I don’t get anything else accomplished at home), sometimes it takes me longer tp finish them, (if the book doesn’t catch my interest or I feel guilty enough to do housework and cook dinner).

Truthfully I wish I didn’t have to go to the doctor’s frequently, in fact it is really bothersome. But, as long as I have to go I might as well make it somewhat of an enjoyable experience.