Once
a month I have to go and get my mom´s high-cost medication. Our government
gives medication to those who cannot afford it. People complain about the
country but seem to forget the benefits they receive. There is bureaucracy to
getting into the system but it is for everyone and as soon as you get in that
is one thing less to worry about. There are developed countries that do not
have such a benefit although some people in my country seem to romanticize the
idea of living one.
There
is an app that you can schedule the time you will pick up the medication;
supposedly it is to save time. However, not everyone knows of its existence.
Nonetheless you need to arrive 15 minutes prior to the scheduled time and
access the app which gives you a number through which you will be called.
Like
all the other months, I went and did what was required. My number was 171, but
they were still on number 45. As I have been doing this since the beginning of
the year – my sister was in charge of doing so before me – I knew I had some
time to wait; so, I always took a book with me. Luckily, I found a seat and
started reading.
The
numbers on the screen slowly turned. In between turning the pages, I started
noticing the people around me. Not only are the app people attend there, there
are also those who go through the old way: arriving there, getting in line so
you can get a number and then awaiting their number to show up on the red
screen. I forgot to mention that the app number appears on the green screen.
People
there come from all places near and far within the state. Some even bring the
disabled or elderly with them, perhaps because there is no one to stay with
them, or even because these people get a different number and can be attended
sooner.
As
I was turning the pages, I started noticing people. There was even a man
sitting near me who wanted to talk and asked me a question as soon as he
noticed I was turning the page. He asked me about the screens. I politely
answered with short sentences and went back to my reading. As soon as the seat
beside me was empty, so another person came over and took it not even allowing
it to cool off a bit before sitting down.
Number
100, a very young woman carrying a baby sat next to me. The baby kept digging
its feet into my thigh, no biggie, I just kept on reading. This woman all of a sudden
started screaming at this baby, who clearly had no clue as to what she was
saying due to its age. She took out her breast to feed it. The man to my right,
who previously wanted to chat, pointed his phone in her direction. I was
appalled when I noticed what he was doing. I coughed real loudly and gave him a
drop-dead look. Guess it must have
scared him because he immediately put his phone in his pocket.
There
were people all around doing their own thing. Some were talking, some were
doing so deafeningly, some were trying to talk on their phones with people who
apparently couldn´t hear them, some coughed, some listened to their social
media video while I simply sat there and read.
When
the green screen read 165, I decided to get up due to the pain I was feeling,
and walk around a bit. Besides I wanted to reach the teller as soon as his/her
number showed up.
Finally,
171, teller 29. There is a total of 32 tellers to attend everyone. I said good
morning and asked why there were so many people. Simple answer as if I should
know “The first of the month was a Saturday. We are attending 3 days of people”.
I
signed what I needed to sign and headed to the other line where the screen is
yellow to await to be called so the medication could be given to me. In the end I arrived at 8 and was leaving at
11.
Written: August 6, 2026
photo - Google Images
