My hospital room mate suggested that I eat my oranges somewhere else. No, she didn’t even suggest it, she reprimanded me. You see, I ate an orange in front of everyone, what a nightmare, and did not share. She did not like it very much, and she decided to give me her “fi.
At the beginning of December I was in one of the hospitals in the city. I was to have a small and uncomplicated surgery on my hand and I was as good as new. I knew that I would be in the hospital only a few days (three days to be exact), so I took the minimum necessary. Clothing, cutlery (I can’t eat out of hospital dishes). And all the patients do that. I ended up in a room with three other women lying in it with me. Two were about my age, one was very young.
In my life I’ve been in hospitals more than once, and I know what neighbors (roommates) in the hospital ward can be like. Be sure to find one that can spoil and so is not very pleasant stay in such an institution.
The food in the canteen was tolerable, but once a day I went down to the first floor and bought what I wanted in the buffet. A yogurt, a chocolate bar and some fruit. It was good that our ward had a refrigerator and there were no problems with food storage. I told my daughter at home that I didn’t need to come to my place, so I would buy all the food I needed.
Anyway, back to the oranges and my roommate. For some reason she didn’t like me right away. Right from the start she decided to “build me up”, but it did not work. I know how to “build” myself. As soon as I entered the room and said hello, the woman started telling me which bed to take and on which shelf in the fridge I could put my products. I told her I would figure out for myself which bed to take. And I will choose a shelf in the fridge myself, I do not need to be told what to do. The woman just shuddered at my words. That’s how it is, I did not get to command.
I had an operation on the same day, and in the afternoon I was already feeling well. I went to the canteen and had lunch. At about four o’clock in the afternoon I decided to go down to the cafeteria and get myself something fruit. I wanted to get a couple of bananas, but they were out of stock. I got a small orange. Went up to the room. I washed it and wanted to eat it whole, but I changed my mind. I cut off half of it, and wrapped the other half in a bag and put it in the fridge. She sat down comfortably on the bed and began to eat the orange.
The women in the ward were going about their business. The young one was sitting and eating candy. The other two were talking to each other and drinking juice. And then the one who was trying to boss me around turns to me and says: “Do you have to eat oranges in the ward? Go and eat somewhere else.”
At first I thought the woman was joking, but seeing the way she was looking at me, I realized she wasn’t. “What do you mean, somewhere else? And why can’t I eat orange in my room? What nonsense”-I replied to my roommate. Her argument struck me on the spot: “Not only did you stink up the room with your orange. So you eat it in front of everyone… And in general, well-mannered people first offer others, and then they themselves eat.”
-What? Are you serious? This is ridiculous. I went out and bought myself an orange and I’m supposed to share it fraternally and treat you all? You’ve got juice on your nightstand and you’re drinking it… Help me. It’s not very nice of you, it’s not proper. We have to share. And about the orange, go down to the buffet and buy one for yourself. And don’t tell me where to eat. I’ll eat wherever I want. And if you don’t like something, go out yourself, so you don’t have to watch others eat.
So I talked to the woman and she didn’t make any more remarks to me. And even in my direction tried not to look. I wrote in the beginning, that more than once I was lying in hospitals. And on principle I do not treat anyone and do not share food with the neighbors on the ward after one incident (it was a long time ago).
I was brought homemade hot dumplings. And I inadvertently offered them to the women in the ward. I could not believe my eyes… I got only four of the twenty dumplings they brought me from home. They swooped down like seagulls. Since then I don’t offer or share food with anyone when I’m in the hospital.
