Whose mission shines through...
Health care, not a private line. Misery, waiting, unworthiness. Heatwave, lack of money, frustration. Rude receptionists, hurried and hardened doctors... Phone line busy for days, reservations received 6 months later. More waiting, sweat and the smell of chlorine, the tormented faces in the waiting room with their painful secrets and fears. Blood test, mri, family doctor, blood test again, referral, appointment, examination, control...
Someone emerges from the system. Assistant, fast-paced, quick-witted, smart, serious and thorough. She listens to everything and everyone. Nice. She gives her number, she has an iPhone. I know because when I write to her, I see that she has read it immediately, and is already writing the answer. I imagine her getting out of the elevator, talking to a couple of patients, while dialing the doctor on her headset, with the calendar open on his screen. She flops down in front of the machine, organizes 8 examinations, sends out appointment reminders, and runs on. Someone is too pale in the waiting room, takes him by the arm, leads him to a separate room and offers him a bed. He can't drink water, he's waiting for surgery. She wipes the sweat with a wet cloth, her voice is kind, firm, she doesn't panic, the warm look from the mask is encouraging. The look is in no hurry. She is there in the moment with the patient, listening to him. She asks him what the book is that he dropped from his hand in the waiting room because she likes to read. Her little daughter sits quietly in the corner, draws well-mannered, sometimes runs out to call in a patient, tries to help in the confusion. They arrived at 5:30 in the morning, it's summer vacation, she couldn't solve it...
And I'm already getting the i-message reply. "Don't worry, we've solved it, we look forward to seeing you next week, collect all your questions. Cheers" the Angel
Language school. His occupation is a language teacher. Holds communication trainings, focused on speech. It leads conversations, for anyone with anyone. Who goes there. Student, job seeker, married abroad, minister, cancer patient, rock star and office worker. Knowledge level, origin, social and life situation do not matter. Everyone is the same, they want to learn, they are curious and open. We are receptive and accepted. They are colorful. At least in those two hours. It brings topics of public life, we all live in it, only in a different way, we follow it on TV, they are the talk of the town. Only we now in a foreign language. It's okay if you stutter, if you're looking for words, we'll wait for you. We care about what you have to say. We care about what you have to say. Because every thought and opinion is interesting and unique in its own context. We ask behind it. We learn to reason, to think, to debate. To be open and patient, to respect each other's opinions, to name and accept taboos. After a while, you don't realize that you are not speaking in your native language. "First continuously, then perfectly". You enjoy talking and listening. That you can be a part of what has been so painfully lost from our world. In the end, I regret that it is a foreign language in which we are able to have a meaningful conversation. And I am very, very grateful to him for teaching what he does with such unbroken and inspiring tenacity. The communication.
Downtown CBA. VII. district, the people living in the area do not belong to the wealthy strata of our city. Grey, often dirty streets, noisy people on the streets. The shop can hardly be seen from the street front. An old, worn sign reminiscent of the past, the shop window has been taped off.
It is noticeable that most of the workers in the store are from the discriminated strata of our society. Here they can take on their tattoo, piercing, style and identity. But cleanliness and good manners are common. Everyone is there for the customers, they are helpful, fast and professional. Everything is going surprisingly smoothly. I'm standing at the cheese counter, I let an elderly, toddler aunt in front of me with the shopping cart. He squeezes a tube of celery and puts it on the counter. "It's expensive for me, and I would only put a quarter of it in the soup anyway".
The clerk looks into the cash register. There is a young guy with cropped hair at the cash register. He's the boss, but everyone here does everything. The boy nods quietly, the cheese man cuts the tuber into quarters. I hear someone asking if they've tried canned fish, it's cheap but they don't know what it's like. They are looking for someone on the team who has already eaten one. He liked it.
I'll get to the payment too. "Were the Slovenian friends, whom we looked for Dunakavics and Balatonszelet last time, happy?" "Of course, it was a good idea, it seems" "I heard you were packing, we collected paper boxes for you. Will you take me now?” I'm getting emotional here. Someone bring out the pre-linked package for me. I go out into the street, it's raining. It will get wet, I hesitate. A hand taps my shoulder. An umbrella is held out at the door. "But bring it back next time!
Somewhere there is such a corner CBA...
Jovial hairdresser, with whom you are guaranteed to laugh for 3 hours and it is always as if you are joking with an old girlfriend. When she announces she's moving, my heart sinks. It was a part of my life, but I took it for granted until now. I am bound. And there is the pilates trainer, he holds the sessions after work, he works more than 10 hours a day. He's beautiful on the inside, not just his body. Its freshness, harmony, dynamism, professionalism and presence are continuous, for years on every occasion. I'm sure that it's not just movement that fills you up in your classes.
Damp, gray weather, early morning. For a long time I bumped in traffic to the small office in the outer district. I am not in the mood for the day, I turn on my computer. I will open the material completed yesterday to take one last look at it with "fresh eyes" before sending it. As fresh as you are at this time. Several people are already sitting at their tables, a few are drinking coffee in the kitchen. The door opens. The manager. Small company, also she's an owner. "Sunny, bird-whistling, wonderful morning to everyone!" She shakes off her umbrella, turns on the light. Her brown face, her friendly eyes, and her smile really radiate warmth and light. Honestly, it's always like that. "How did the school year ending ceremony go yesterday?" "And how well does your new monitor suit you" "Did you bring the car from the service? Finally, I think you are relieved, although you could have kept mine" "I read last night the documentation you are done. You see, even though you were scared, it succeded really well! I'm sure the customer will be satisfied with it too" My smile is also sincere, I nod. Then she disappears into the kitchen to greet the cafes, and I press enter on the email with pride and enthusiasm.
The characters in my story are real people. Continue the line...
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