The Waiting Room

The Emory Eye Clinic waiting room.
It hasn't changed in 19 years.

A few months ago, I called Quincy to report the details of my doctor's appointment at Emory University. As we were discussing the good news of my doctor's visit, I proceeded to tell her about a couple that I had the pleasure of meeting.

I can't remember their names. The husband had recently been diagnosed with glaucoma and they were shocked to learn that I was diagnosed when I was 21. They shared with me some of their life's experiences. I learned that she was a war bride. They were married in 1944 right after he was drafted. She told me how she prayed and pleaded with the Lord to keep her groom safe. Tears came to my eyes when she told me about the miracle of him never being shipped overseas. He stayed at home to teach aviation. I learned that they had lost a baby after the war due to her taking a vaccination for influenza. I told her about Elijah.

"You never get over it," she told me.

"I hope not. I don't want to get over Elijah."

"No. People do not understand that," she agreed.

They were kindred spirits.

I mentioned to Quincy that I have met very some unique people over the course of almost 20 years in that waiting room.

"I should write a book about all of the interesting people I have met!" I teased.

"You should at least blog about it," Quincy suggested.

What a fantastic idea!

Mrs. Germany, Cora (wearing one earring), and Mr. Brandy.
I sat on the end next to Mr. Brandy.

Today I went to Emory prepared to take a picture of the waiting room. What I didn't expect was the hilarious chance encounter I would have with three very interesting characters.

First I sat by Cora. She said hello and I said hello in return. She then pulled out a bag of jewelry and started telling me how much she loved her necklace. It was broken and needed to be repaired. The jade necklace was very lovely. Then she revealed to me that she was only wearing one earring. She had misplaced the match but still wore the other one because she liked it so much.

My name was suddenly called to go see the physician's assistant. It was a very busy morning at Emory, so after she checked my pressures, my vision, and dilated my eyes, I had to return to a second waiting area.

When I sat down, there was a very loud woman talking on her cell phone. She spoke with a very thick German accent. I was secretly proud that I could tell where she was from.

She finally hung up.

"Did you find your earring?" she asked Cora with her thick German accent.

"No."

"You know, I just do not understand why the jewelry makers do not make three earrings for us just in case we lose one. We always lose one. Wouldn't that be so nice if all earrings came in sets of three?" Mrs. Germany directed the rhetorical question very loudly to us like we had all been engaged in an important conversation with each other.

Well, I burst out laughing and told her I thought that was a fabulous idea!

Then Mrs. Germany started teasing the kind gentleman sitting next to me and asked him where his earrings were.

He shook his hands in protest!

"Oh No! I have no part of that nonsense," he blurted out.

"Are you all patients of Dr. Beck?" Mrs. Germany asked.

"Yes!" We all said in unison.

What happened next is hysterical.

We all started sharing how long we have been patients of Dr. Beck. Mrs. Germany said how wonderful he is. Cora said she had been coming for years. I said I had been coming to Emory for 19 years but had been a patient of Dr. Beck's for only 11 years. The nice man pointed to his eyes and shared how Dr. Beck saved his vision. The nice man won the prize for knowing Dr. Beck the longest.

It was as if we were trying to "one up" each other on how wonderful we thought Dr. Beck is.

Then Mrs. Germany and Cora started talking about Cora's jewelry again. I turned to the gentleman and asked his name.

"Jehu Brandy. Jehu like the prophet and Brandy like the drink. But I have never tasted brandy!" He declared.

I did not tell him I have never heard of a prophet named Jehu. He wanted to talk about the loss of vision in his eyes. We talked about prayer and fasting. I told him I had experienced miracles in my life. We discovered we have both experienced a mini-stroke in an eye. Unfortunately, his had led to the loss of vision in his eye.

A medical person walked by.

Mrs. Germany announced to her that we were all "patiently" waiting to see Dr. Beck.

"We're the well behaved group--the four of us!" she announced very loudly.

I tried not to laugh.

Mr. Brandy then asked me if I would pray and fast for his vision. I promised him I would.

I then asked Mrs. Germany if she was indeed from Germany.

"Austria!" she answered proudly and loudly.

I was devastated to have guessed wrong. She is still Mrs. Germany to me.

"Oh, I thought you were from Germany," I responded trying not to reveal how disappointed that she was not from Germany.

"No. But we are neighbors," she added.

Then the four of us started talking about how long we have been married.

I got my courage at this point to ask them if I could take their picture. They graciously obliged and were happy to know I was going to write about them on my blog.

Mrs. Germany's name gets called to go see Dr. Beck. "Bye-Bye! It was so nice talking to you!" she said as she walked away.

I really liked that nice lady--even if she wasn't from Germany!

It was then that I learned that Cora had been widowed for eight years but was married for 45 years. I shared that I have been married for almost 16.

At this point I drifted out of the conversation. Mr. Brandy and Cora were talking. He spoke in low tones, but I could hear her responses.

"Yes. I date." "No. I don't want to get married." "No. I do not miss a romantic relationship."
I thought Mr. Brandy was attempting to make his moves on her. This caught my attention.

"Mr. Brandy, have you ever been married?" I asked.

"Yes. For 57 years.!"

"You're married?" I was incredulous. I thought he was going to ask Cora out from the way he was talking to her. He told us that he had six children. A daughter had passed away when she was 21 in Liberia of rheumatic fever. I was so sad to learn that. He and his wife also have two sets of twins. I could not believe it! He and Cora started speaking again, so I turned my head for a while.

Then out of the blue, Mr. Brandy asked me a question.

"Are you a Capricorn?" he asked nonchalantly.

Well, I almost fell off my seat.

"Why, yes! Monday is my birthday." I was incredulous.

" I knew it. Capricorns are good and kind. We love people. We are romantic. I knew you were a Capricorn." He said kindly to me.

I thanked him for his kind words.

Mrs. Germany comes prancing around the corner again..

"You are all still here. Can you believe it? I forgot my money to pay for my parking. I had to ask Dr. Beck to give me a few dollars, so he did. He is such a good man. Now, I won't have to go to work so I can go home!"

My mouth was gaping open. Mrs. Germany actually asked Dr. Beck for money! I simply could not believe my ears.

Mr. Brandy's name is called to go back.

"Goodbye, Dear. Don't forget to pray for me!" were his last words to me!

"I will pray for you! I promise!" I said as we waved good-bye.

When Mr. Brandy left, Cora got up to sit next to me.

I told her that I sincerely thought Mr. Brandy was going to ask her out for a romantic dinner.

"Yes . . . men in this country always approach me," she started to explain.

My name is called to go back.

I had to go.

"Men approach you because you are so lovely. Good-bye, Cora. It was delightful talking to you," I sincerely told her.

"Goodbye!"

Talking and laughing with these wonderful people was like a gift to me today. If you happen to stumble upon this blog, please pray for Mr. Jehu Brandy's vision--that it may come back. I have been blessed with a miracle like this.

For many years, I dreaded sitting in the waiting room. Now, I look forward to meeting delightful people.

You never can tell who you will meet in the waiting room!