Finally, To The Theatre!

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I couldn’t understand him. Why was he asking me this sort of question? What is his business why I have decided to abort the pregnancy? Shouldn’t he be only interested in the money I am supposed to pay him?

“Is there a problem, doctor?” I’d thrown at him, trying very hard to conceal my irritation. “Why are  you asking me that sort of question?”

The man adjusted his glasses, steadied his gaze on my face and then shook his head.

“You don’t understand,” he’d said to me.

“You can’t just come in to my clinic and ask for abortion and I will oblige you just because you’re going to pay me money. It’s not done that way. Any medical personnel that practises that way is either a quack or he’s simply being stupid. It is my responsibility to ask you questions and try to understand your situation better.”

I was just staring at him, all of that long and boring speech he was making didn’t make any sense to me, all I needed him to do was to get down to business and evacuate the foetus inside me.

“So, are you prepared to answer my question now?” his deep voice barged into my thoughts.

“I don’t understand, doctor, exactly what do you want me to tell you?” I’d returned angrily.

“I am an adult, I’m not small school girl, and I should be able to determine what I want for myself. I don’t want this pregnancy, because I have a problem with the timing. I cannot go through nine months of pregnancy right now!”

There was silence. The man was just gazing at me, unmoved. I was so upset I could barely look him in the eyes. Then, finally, the expression on his face changed. It relaxed from the serious look to a friendlier one. And he smiled.

“Okay, I think I’ve got the right answer I needed to hear from you, that anger in your voice says it all,” he’d said to me.

I was puzzled. “And what does that mean, doctor, are you saying you won’t do the abortion for me? What exactly are you trying to tell me now?”

He looked straight at me in the eye and slowly shook his head. I couldn’t understand the reason he was looking at me the way he was doing, neither did I know the reason he was shaking his head. He was a strange man indeed. I wondered where my big Aunty friend knew him.

“I will do it, I think it’s obvious from the way you sounded that your mind is made up,” he’d said, flashing me what seemed like a faint smile.

“I am only concerned with the fact that, being a wife, you could’ve got your husband’s consent to do this.”

I was getting more impatient with this man by the minute. He was really starting to irritate me. What the heck is his problem?

“Listen, doctor, thank God you also acknowledge the fact that I am a married woman, so I should know exactly what I want to do with my own pregnancy,” I said quietly, trying desperately to suppress my anger. “I have my reasons for not involving my husband in this. He may prefer for me to keep the baby and I’m not sure that’s what I want right now. I have businesses and projects I’m working on and need to complete within the shortest possible time, and having to go through the next nine months carrying a pregnancy will not in any way help my cause. This is the reason I can’t tell my husband about this.”

The man took one long look at me, and then returned his gaze to my mid region, as though he could practically see the yet to be formed baby inside.

“What about your husband?” he asked.

“What about him?” I’d fired back, wondering what he was getting at again.

“What if he finds out about this and insists, out of anger, that you bring him to the doctor who evacuated his baby? What if he decides to make trouble?”

Is this man for real? I’d wondered. What in heaven’s name is he blabbing about? Why would my husband come to make trouble?

“I don’t get you, doctor, why would my husband come here to make a fool of himself over my decision to seek your services for a D& C?”

“But of course, he can. It has happened before.”

Now, I’d finally lost it. I got up and sprang promptly to my feet. “Doctor, do I look like a fool to you?” I’d sneered at him. “Do I look like a teenager who probably has no idea what she’s asking to do? You didn’t compel me to do what I’m asking for. You have not forced me to come and evacuate my own unborn child, I came here on my own volition, so why would my husband choose to come here to make trouble because you gave me D&C that I paid for?” He was silent, trying to process what I just told him.

“So, doctor, are you going to give me what I came here for or I should take my leave right away?”

He was still staring at me, not saying a word. I couldn’t take it anymore. I picked up my bag and headed to the door.

“Wait!” he called out. I turned back and faced him. “Let me go and prepare the theatre for you!”

…to be continued