A Piece of Eternity

TWENTY FOUR

 “This is for our little Ming Guk here….” The doctor hands out a paper pocket of medicines to the mother of the boy. “Make sure to have him take the tablets twice a day while the powder will be once a day. It’s enough for a week, I’ll give you again once he finishes all of it.” He turns to the boy and gently brushes his hair. “Ming Guk ah, be a good boy and listen to your mom, alright?”

            “Yes.” The boy smiles.

            “Thank you very much doctor.”

He just smile.                                                                                     

            “Doctor.”

He looks at the village head who just arrived.

            “What is it, village head?” he asks.

            “This arrived at my home.”

He takes the letter from him and sees that it was sent to him ten days ago.

            “It seems that the letters arrived three days late again. Once I received it, I immediately come here to give it to you. It came from the city.” The village head says.

            “Thank you very much for bringing this here.”

He told his assistant to distribute the medicines pockets her prepared to the remaining patients there. He enters the temporary home the villagers assembled for him. He goes to the small room where he sleeps and read the letter. It’s from his parents. His mom is reminding him to return to the city to attend to the family dinner. It’s no ordinary dinner because it will be with the family of the woman his parents wants him to marry. It will be the first time he’ll meet the said woman and at the same time, their parents will be setting a date for the wedding.

He looks at the calendar. Its tomorrow and he almost forgot if only he didn’t receive this letter.

He goes to the capitol to purchase some medical paraphernalia like gloves, stitch thread, and syringe because he’s running out of them. He also gets some basic medicines. There is no medicine available to that place but those basics. The medicines he gives for free to the people in the island are the things he orders from the city. Lastly, he made a phone call to his mother to tell them that he’ll come tomorrow.

The night comes; he prepared to go back to the city. He takes the bracelet made from shells from his drawer. One of his child patients gave it to him. It’s not a secret from the village people that he’s about to get married. That little girl was very sick yet she made this bracelet carefully and before she dies, she told him to give this to his bride as a present.

He walks to the door.

            “Doc, are you sure that you don’t want me to come with you to the port?” his assistant asks him.

            “No need. I can manage. Rest early so that you’d have enough energy for tomorrow. I’ll leave things to you for now. I’ll be back the day after tomorrow.”

Everyday, the village people visit their place for free consultation and medicines. It’s serves as the medical center of this village.

            “Have a safe trip Doc. Have a great time meeting your bride.”

He just smile.

            “Doctor! Doctor!” the village head and a man are running towards them.