The Beekeeper was very enthusiastic about yesterday's encounter with Serenity's parents at their countryside property. He continued his recollection of the meeting.
"Your parents are also doing just fine given their retirement age. Yesterday they kept working at their organic vegetable garden plot all day or rather your mother was. Since our properties keep bordering each other I felt obliged to pay the neighbors a customary visit in the evening. Had some enjoyable conversation with your father who was a little upset that his tractor happened to break down all of a sudden on the very day where potato harvesting had been planned.
The weather has been so unpredictable this year. Beginning of the summer was cooler than the average temperature. There have been spells of drought, spells of rain showers, a couple of hailstorms. The hailstorms have damaged cucumber, tomato, salad, and other vegetables. The overall harvest has been affected. The farmers were forced to increase the price at the market to the customers' displeasure. The city dwellers often think that unstable weather patterns have little to do with them (and are supposed to be farmers' or ecologist's worry) but they had to discover otherwise at the Farmer's Market this fall."
Auntie and Serenity kept patiently listening to what the Beekeeper had to share.
"Upon checking the latest weather forecast your father has discovered that there were seven days of intense rainfall ahead. Thus, it was very important to salvage the potato harvest from the predicted downpours. If soaked extensively at this stage potatoes would rapidly start to go awry and soon won't be suitable for consumption. Given that the tractor got broken and father's blood pressure was very high despite taking his medication both of your parents agreed that potatoes were to be harvested by hand. That is, by your mother's hands using a digging fork and a hand cultivator. I noticed about ten potato filled bags with my own eyes near the plot. I must say that I have only admiration for such a hard working woman who is so compassionate towards her husband's physical and mental wellbeing."
Wait...what?! In the age of machine labor an elderly woman has harvested the entire potato plot by hand! While some people might not find anything strange with that I find it strange in this specific situation for some unclear reason...
"Your mother keeps surprising all of us seniors who happen to know her with her dedication to relatively heavy-duty manual labor," seconded Auntie.
"What a devoted mother and wife!" added the Beekeeper, the neighbor from the countryside.
"Alright, I have to leave both of you ladies now. The farm work is waiting for me. Until the next time."
"Goodbye to you too."
The Beekeeper has left the ward. Nurse 3 comes into the ward in order to check Auntie's vitals.
"Your blood pressure, pulse and blood oxygen are normal today. By the way, would you have time for a consultation this evening after diner?"
"Certainly, yes. Please, come by."
The Nurse 3 has left.
"Auntie, what consultation has the Nurse had in mind? Could you, please, tell me."
"Nothing too special. She only wanted a reading based on my Fortune and Misfortune Telling Cards."
"You have managed to bring your cards to the hospital ward?"
"Of course, the demand is vibrant among nurses and lady doctors. Why are you asking? Do you also want another reading yourself?"
"No, not really. Five years ago you told me that the worst phase was over in my life but it doesn't feel like it is over given all the events that have taken place since my last consultation with you."
"You have become more conscious regarding the events in your life. Also you have resolved a few of the inner conflicts. In my opinion, this is a lot to be grateful for."
"True indeed. Alright, I would like another consultation regarding the behavior of my parents. It seems like it is getting more provocative and more psychologically destabilizing over time. Let's check what your cards can tell us about this situation, please?"
Auntie has pulled the cards out of her handbag and has spread a number of cards across a side table.
"What does it say, Auntie?"
"Not too sure what it means but it says: "apples of earth."
"Do you mean "apples covered with soil" or "apples buried in the ground"? Are those "rotten apples"? How are apples related to my parents' behavior? The reading doesn't make any sense to me."
"I am not sure. No further information comes through. You will have to somehow develop the ability of symbolic interpretation because a literal one is not supposed to make much sense in these matters."
"I somehow knew deep inside that this was not going to be that simple but thanks for trying to help."
Visiting hours have come to a close.
"Auntie, I am letting you rest and will visit you tomorrow. Bye."
On her way out Serenity was passing the Surgical Residents' Room that had its door partially open.
Female Surgical Resident 3: "Do you guys believe that our elderly lady patient with a broken ankle bone has truly slipped on the bathroom floor or was it a case of domestic violence more likely?"
Male Surgical Resident 2 (the University Hospital Director's Son): " Well, unless a spirit can perpetrate something like that then it might be possible. Otherwise, not. Patient's husband is no more. Have you missed this information in the elderly patient's file? Your overly negative thoughts keep distracting you from the facts. Besides, you are neither a social care worker nor a psychologist. Leave such questions to them next time.
I, on the other hand, cannot stop thinking about how the Empire of Wellness Resorts has slipped out of my hands thanks to your professional incompetency (turning towards the Male Surgical Resident 1). I have already had a villa chosen to buy for my girlfriend and I in the suburbs and now... after having discovered that I am no longer the heir to the Wellness Resorts Empire she has left me! You two salary persons have small dreams and cannot comprehend a dignified lifestyle financed by a passive income stream from capital assets.
Male Surgical Resident 1: "I keep continuously apologizing to you for that very unfortunate event. What else do you want me to do?"
Female Surgical Resident: " Guys, I've been thinking of switching my Surgical Residency and pursuing Psychiatry and Psychotherapy instead."
Male Surgical Resident 2: "Why? What made you change your residency path all of a sudden?"
Female Surgical Resident 3: "Many things, actually. The unfortunate surgical experience with your late Estranged Uncle is one of the factors. Our friend here wasn't psychologically able to control his productivity driven ambition. Our superiors were emotionally gripped by the fear of losing a life and thus, have overdiagnosed the late patient as a consequence.
Male Surgical Resident 2: "Are you not overdramatizing the situation yourself? The problem is simpler. You should have considered conservative solutions in your decision making process like in the case of that grandmother whose self-confident granddaughter opted for a conservative solution. Do you remember that case from a couple of months ago? What exactly has made you think that the surgical solution was more adequate in my Estranged Uncle's case? The most sophisticated solution doesn't always automatically equate to the best solution in the given situation!"
Uncomfortable silence lasted for a few minutes in the room.
Female Surgical Resident 3: " It's easy for you to comment post factum. Things are not as simple and as mechanical as you may think them to be. In my view, ability to collect, process information and make optimally informed decision depends on both professional and an overall integrity of a medical practitioner. If such conditions have not been satisfied for an extended period of time that certainly has the effect on the protocol."
Male Surgical Resident 1: "What do you mean by that?"
Female Surgical Resident 3: " It's something uncomfortable that has been taking place in the shadows of our community. There is one story I cannot forget from a few years ago. A junior female student also a friend of mine confided in me that the Honorable Professor asked her for something quite indecent in return of letting her pass a pathological physiology examination. She said she had no choice but to agree. Later on we learned that the said Professor met with an accident on his way home from university late in the evening. A couple of thugs assaulted him and gave him a thorough beating in the dark corner of the alley. The Professor escaped with a head concussion, a few bruises and a couple of missing teeth. The complaint was filed but the culprits were never found. I personally knew that my girlfriend's boyfriend was affiliated with a martial arts club but questioned no further. Next, there is that very old story circulating behind the curtains among female students about some Junior Lecturer or a Lecher-er shall I say, just to be more precise, having dated several female students simultaneously. It all came out to light only because one of them spray-painted their confession on the department wall. As a matter of fact, I feel very concerned with the psychological integrity of our colleagues and wish to be of service to the stability of their minds."
The evening was warm. Serenity kept walking down the dimly lit street under the Hunter's Moon on her way to the local supermarket.
Another world savior. Just like I was at her age: boundless eagerness to salvage the world from diseases has motivated me to start the studies of medical profession. However, when my own world has collapsed, guess, who has eagerly rushed to my salvation? That's right: no one...
In front of the confectionary shelves at the supermarket.
"Shall I pick a box of chocolate, vanilla or hazelnut biscuits? Hmmm... difficult to decide. How about all three of them?.."