Doctor Where

Ralph makes a lunchtime appointment to see his doctor, whom he’s never met before. He is frustrated and annoyed that the doctor is keeping him waiting by attending a home visit and constantly tells the slightly officious receptionist that he will be late getting back to work. He has already explained to the receptionist, Sally, that he has developed a rash ‘downstairs,’ and when he is alerted that a nurse is on the premises, he asks if he can see her instead. The receptionist coolly informs him that she is there to administer flu jabs. Then he asks if maybe the receptionist herself would care to take a look. She is shocked at his request and demands he sit back down and wait for the doctor to arrive. He sits fidgeting and waiting, constantly looking at his watch. Sally appears to take pity on his predicament and calls him over to her window. She assumes the rash may be sexually related and suggests he visit a specialist clinic. Ralph insists that the cause of the rash has nothing to do with that, so Sally then tells him that they usually recommend a visit to the local pharmacist as a first port of call. Ralph explains that he already did that very morning, but in a farcical scene, his willingness to present the evidence to the pharmacist involuntarily causes an unseen, on-looking old lady to faint. The doctor still hasn’t arrived, but she calls to explain to Sally that she has been looking after an old lady with a heart condition who had been ‘flashed at’ in her local pharmacy that morning. It is a conversation Sally makes sure Ralph can overhear as he gingerly slides over to the surgery door and out. It’s a miracle cure.