Sometimes we meet someone and feel like we have known them all our lives.
It was my first day of residency.
I woke up earlier than usual that morning; I didn't sleep at all actually. A new part of my life was starting and I was excited: I was no longer just a student; I always dreamt to be a surgeon, but not any…I wanted to be the best one, I knew I could. And now this whole thing was getting real.
I dressed for the occasion, the suit I bought the week before fit me perfectly. It costs money to make the right impression, by all means.
I walked in Hospital a whole half-hour earlier. In the frenzy of the moment, I completely forgot to eat breakfast so I decided to grab something from the cafeteria while waiting. I took place in one of the table and started looking around: men and women in their white coats were coming and going; most of them couldn't even finish their meal because the beep of their pager called them back to duty. Soon that would be my routine as well. The future I always thought so distant, it was now so close!
I was sitting there, deep in my thought, when someone bumped into my shoulder with a food tray.
"Sorry", a woman speaks out absentmindedly.
I turned around and then I saw her: she was wearing jeans and a comic t-shirt, her long dark hair in a ponytail, a black leather jacket and her backpack on the chair. She was sipping her coffee while reading carefully the file in her hand, the same file I had in my case of which I knew every single word: the residency program.
I kept watching her for a while, mesmerized by her presence until I noticed the watch she was wearing, saying I was late. Damn! Great start Dr. Melendez, I thought to myself. I collected my stuff and got up. Then, not even realizing, I found myself standing beside her.
"Maybe we should just get going, we don't want to be late on our first day, don't we?" I said, just like I was talking to my best friend.
She looked puzzle and she had every right to be since we were, still, perfect strangers.
"I'm Neil. Melendez. I'm in the surgical residency program." I tried to explain. The faint hint of a smile on my face while blaming myself for finding me in that situation without even know how and why.
She rose and pick up her jacket and the backpack, and looking right into my eyes she said:
"Maybe we should go then! C'mon Melendez, move it!"
We found ourselves walking side by side. We call the lift and when the door opened, we get in together. A ding and the doors closed.
"I'm doctor Lim. Audrey Lim", she said.
There we were, on our way for a new beginning. Together.
They say the perfect meeting happens once in a lifetime, only once, unexpectedly. And yet neither of us had any idea how perfect that meeting was.