should've stayed in bed

I hate wasting my sick leave when I'm actually sick. I should have been able to use a rare day off like this to go get 'things' done, but I was so run down with this virus that I couldn't stay vertical for long today.

I got out of bed around midday, had a shower and some breakfast, then went straight back to bed until after 3:30.

The weather forecast for today was bad... damaging winds forecast to hit the city around 4pm, just when I would be walking to the doctor's.

I dressed, looked outside. It was windy, but sunny; no sign of rain, or even rainclouds. I put away my raincoat, and put on a warm hoodie and sunglasses, and left to walk down Dandenong Rd to the doctor's surgery.

As I approached the surgery through a raging headwind, there was some sort of commotion on the road, but I couldn't make out what it was. Not surprising or unusual for peak hour on Dandenong Road.

But as I turned into the entrance of the surgery, I could see everyone inside looking out, past me. I looked back towards the road to see the source of interest.

A motorbike rider was lying on his back on the side of the road, attended by several people including my doctor, and his bike was lodged under the rear bumper of a parked car.

Apparently, speeding up the inside traffic lane, he had run into the back of a driver attempting to reverse into a car park.

In short order, police and ambulance arrived. The rider had apparently sustained concussion and a number of broken bones, and would need a good 6 months to recover.

The owner of the parked car had been in the doctor's office at the time, and was unable to leave until the bike could be freed from under her car, while the poor man whose car the biker first hit was sitting in shock waiting for the police to interview him.

While this drama unfolded, the doctor returned to this schedule, and, around 40 minutes late, I got to my appointment.

As I went in, the skies darkened, and a few spots of rain began to fall. I packed away my sunglasses.

The doctor checked me out and confirmed my expectations. I had started with a virus 3 weeks ago, but then infection had set in, causing the severe cough, chest infection, and inflammation. I needed a course of antibiotics, plus rest and warmth.

By the time I paid my accounty, it was darkening quickly outside, the wind was strong, and the raindrops getting heavier. I had a 15 minute walk to the chemist ahead of me, then a further 5 minutes to get home.

I was pretty damp when I reached the chemist, but I was glad to get there before closing, so that I could begin my medications asap.

It took them 10 minutes to prepare the script. As I was paying the bill, the sound of the rain on the roof grew louder, and then turned into the staccato drumming of ... hailstones! Oh no!

But oh yes. The hail only lasted a minute or two, but the downpour had begun. I waited hopefully under the shop verandah, but it was clear that this rain was not going to stop any time soon, so I had no choice but to make a dash for it. Pointless. I was soaked to the skin before I got halfway home.

Wet, chilled and miserable, I walked in the door just before 6pm.

It could have been worse, though... at least I wasn't in the hospital like that poor biker.

Then the phone rang. It was citibankkkkkkkk.....!