AGE OF A DOCTOR AND PATIENT'S TRUST: NARRATIVE PART- I

Saba Khan

Once I came across the story of a senior, but young looking doctor. He was clean shave, had full head hair and a youthful physique. He was complaining about the scarcity of patients in his clinic. ‘Why is that with so many years of experience, I am unable to make a lot of patients? And the patients I have always turn towards another physician for second opinion. I am competent enough. What’s wrong with me?’

After some time the ‘young’ doctor decided to have a look at the physician practicing at the neighboring clinic, who was quite busy all year round. People used to praise him for his experience and vigilance. They got well, after a single visit. The next visit was complementary, just to thank him and pay him regards. ‘What was wrong?’, The ‘young’ physician thought.

When he came across the ‘experienced’ doctor, it took him by surprise. The so called experienced physician was years junior to him in experience, but years senior to him in looks. So that seniority by looks was earning him seniority in experience and a load of patients, his strict believers. Patients used to follow him as a ‘Saint’. Whatever he said was a sacred word for them.

My God! The ‘young’ physician was caught in a dilemma. People crave to look young, regardless of their age. But here, this gift of youthful looks was proving to be a curse. Now, the doctor had to decide, whether to stop taking care of himself, in order to get a few pounds of weight, grey hair, wrinkles on the fore head, spectacles on the eyes.

What will the ‘young’ doctor decide?  TO BE CONTINUED………

PS: There are always two narratives to a story and each is looked upon from the narrators perspective and the perspective of the narrated. The correct version or the true version is all relative.

Image courtesy by 'Pixaby'