About the New Doc (to be) in the Family

I do not come from a family of medical doctors. Nada nada. The closest doctor relative we've got related to the Bong-s wouldn't be Bong-s as well, but rather married to Bong-s. There's the Orthopaedic Specialist who married Dad's cousin's daughter; and there's a surgeon-to-be who married one of the elder cousins. No doubt, I looked up on them, I admired them, with them being young and smart, but I have never ever imagined I would be put in the same level.

See, the paternal relatives are sort of informally divided into parties. One with the kids who are leaning towards the proffessional fields - educations, engineerings, accounts; while the others would be leaning towards the technical fields - mechanics, electrical supervisors, technicians. In other words, kids who study, and kids who don't study. The eldest uncle's kids are all graduated from university, while the 4th uncle's elder kids joined the workforce right after SPM.

So, during the reunion dinner, everyone was like, looking at me differently. God knows why! Cousin sister whose husband is now serving in Penang would only be coming back tomorrow. Bacn when he was still doing housemanship in the general hospital in the city, all the uncles and aunties would call him "The Doctor". Now that he's back to his hometown, all them unclesandaunties are turning their attention to me instead. What's more with me in the same med school as the orthopaedic specialist used to be, it's honestly a pressure.

The eldest cousin brother first replied my greet with "Oh look! The Big Doctor!" Literally translated from Hakka. And "PANG!", I looked at sis with this eye that mutely sending instant messages "What the??"

Over dinner, the uncles would be sitting at the same table with the grandparents. The younger kids and the married cousins sitting at another table. That left me and siblings sitting with mum and some of the aunties. Somehow, conversation steered into hospitals. Aunt Sal's mum who fell down the other day was admitted to the hospital, and X-ray was done before suturing and discharge. And she went all long and windy complaining about the attending doctors... Not ethical, arrogant, ignorant, unfriendly... The complaints didn't end just right there.

"You know, next time you came out, don't ever go and pretend you care. 'Hello pak cik, are you okay?' That just is blardy sooooo lame! And fake!"

And I was like, uh... O-kay. Wasn't those steps of taking patient's history in the textbook? Or even before clinical examinations are done? But I guessed I got what she was trying to tell, confidence. Afterall, medicine is an art!

Anyway, dinner aside. When it was time for the red packets. More and more awkward feelings surged up. The other elder cousin gave out the packet and talked to the big crowd "The Doctor wor, don't play play!", while the youngest uncle said "This one must kiss-ass a bit, benefitial in the future." That hasn't include some of the aunties who asked about how medical school is like, comparing me to the surgeon-cousin-in-law; or the other aunties who asked "Big doctor, next time give me free service hor?"

Seriously! I'm still a student!

And seriously, I'm not even sure if I'm graduating!

Really seriously, I haven't even decided if I'd want to come back!

Oh you know, I definitely don't want to be back at 25 and still single. That would be... bad.