Dr. Tamura was out sick today. “Maybe he finally got TB,” I joked to Sakai-san, for which she sprang back: “well, in that case he can share a room with you and you can show him how to take the meds.” Her positive energy and sense of humor helps me get through each day. With my doctor out of commission I spent yet another day in limbo without a clear explanation of my holdup.
I’ve decided to stop getting my hopes up. Every time I start anticipating my immediate release my optimism gets crushed like a fresh clove being put through a garlic press. I keep getting, in the words of Lou Barlow, “set up for a let-down.” This is the third time that my doctor has said that I’m about to be released, and I keep falling into the same trap. I need to revert back to my reverse psychology , as it’s the only thing keeping me going. Ok, so I’ll just pretend that Dr. Tamura has set my release date for the 7th of March. That way if I get released before then I’ll be pleasantly surprised. Better said than done.
Kanako came by to visit briefly to offer some moral support. Instead of catching up, we spent our cursory time glued to the sheets in an afternoon nap. I was more than happy for a little cuddle with my soulmate and look forward to some more time with my main squeeze tomorrow afternoon. Kanako has a blood test tomorrow to check for TB infection. If she ends up with the disease at least we’ll be able to share a room and maybe we can even sublet the apartment to someone so we won’t lose out on rent.
I got another call from one of my universities, asking me to pay back part of my salary for the month of October since I didn’t work for the entire month. Why do they set payday so early in the month? I don’t mind paying the money back, as it’s a trivial amount, but I explained to the staff that I would be unable to give back the money now, as I’m still in the hospital. She was understanding, and can probably wait until the end of the fiscal year in March until she starts getting antsy.
Other than that, I finished reading yet another book and decided to start another one since my release is likely to be delayed at least 2 or 3 more times before I’m released. I’m wondering if I should go ahead and start decorating my cubicle with some holiday decorations to add a little flair. Maybe I’ll just plaster the walls with pictures of random people looking really happy together with their families, along side a picture of myself and then one of Kanako, a broken heart separating our photos as a symbol of our discontent.
The sunset was a brilliant display of vibrant color. Airlines at cruising altitude streaked across the darkening sky, chased by veins of billowing contrails reflecting portals of light back to earth like the beam of a giant flashlight. A thin crescent moon chased the shadow of the sinking sun, dragging a reluctant Venus along by an imaginary rope strewn arose the blackened depths of the solar system. I stood silently, face pressed against the refrigerated window panes taking in nature’s visual light show. That is, until the pharmacist cut short my hypnotic fixation. I actually told her to come back after the sun had finished setting, a request she actually accommodated. She didn’t have much to say that I hadn’t heard a dozen times before, and she seemed surprised that my nightstand was lined with fresh apples. I guess most patients don’t practice such healthy conventions, opting instead for the additive rich nutrients of a bag of potato chips.
The sunset
TB'd in Japan 