Sunday, May 22, 2011

UNLIKELY MEETING PLACES

One of the private dental surgeries has a capacious long reception area, with one high straight backed dining chair, which can be really uncomfortable after five minutes. There is a three piece suite made in those really low deep sitting styles that make it awkward to rise from them, whatever adult age you are. I developed a knack for getting up off this awkwardly designed furniture, not from regular attendance, but from the need to avoid indignity. There is a marble fireplace with mantel at the end of the room near the deep seats. The fireplace is not used. It is well preserved. Near the reception desk at the opposite end are two Edwardian (early twentieth century)  children's desks. When a child opens a hinged wooden desk lid, there is a treasure trove of pencils, crayons paper and colouring books.

The surgeries, like the waiting room, are panelled in dark oak. Whereas the dental surgeries are well lit, the waiting room appears dark and oppressive, yet, it can be the most sociable meeting place. When that happens, there is a buzz about the room, with friends greeting one another, people engaging with individuals they haven't seen for a long time. The pall of any nervous tension, any quiet respectful demeanour, disappears.:D  

The modern local medical practice was built to resemble, I think, a Gothic church hall. The architects were very careful to appoint as much light into the patients' waiting space as possible. Interestingly, with the amount of wasted height, there is no echo. That may be due to the quantity of wood used in the finishing. It's a strange space which is difficult to make more intimate. Various large green plants have been tried in different positions to try to break up the expanse. The plants are now sitting like sentinels by various doors. Notwithstanding these odd features, if people see others they know, even across the ocean of width, they will acknowledge them, or they will sit by someone, as I did today, when I spotted a person who I had not seen for years. :o

2 comments:

keiko amano said...

ZACL,

That's an interesting description. I've never been to such place to fix my teeth. It must be a gorgeous looking place. It sounds more like a church than a dental office. Since I know no one there, I would feel out of place. I would be terrified to remove a tooth there. I'm kidding. Smiles. But I understand the feeling. Right now, I'm thinking of changing my dentist. I rather go to the same dentist, restaurant, library, and so on. So, although I've been thinking of changing the dentist for several years, I haven't done it. I'm chicken.

ZACL said...

Hello Keiko,

The dental practice in this post is in a very old converted house. There are windows in the waiting area, all but one is overlooked by other old brick built buildings, which reduces the amount of light. The surgeries downstairs, have a similar lack of light through their windows. However, as you would expect, they are far better lit from within.

The doctor's practice, which is elsewhere, was built about 13 years ago, and somehow, it is not so easy to be as sociable in the waiting room there. This must have something to do with the different environments that have been created, as well as the clientele.