Joke

The briefing session lasted two-and-a-half hours. Nonetheless I could be back to the hospital on time to attend the lunch time meeting.

It was our "team meeting". For those who have joined our department for long enough, you may recognize it used to be called the audit meeting, where we reviewed the cases that died recently, did a random check on the quality of hospital notes and discharge summary, and had a few other activities related to quality improvement. Nowadays, the audit component is fading out, and our team (which used to be firm) had advanced to a stage we talked on more metaphysical topics.

For example, this time, a few house officers were asked to come to the stage and share their feelings.

I had a focal seizure at my angle of mouth.

"You looked funny," LS said, "What's wrong?"

"Nothing, just that I have a déjà vu feeling." I hesitated.

"Eh ?" my friend looked puzzled.

"You know, I'm reading The Joke of Milan Kundera lately. There are several scenes of communist school and party meetings, where juniors are asked to come out - mostly unwillingly - and demanded to say what they feel or what they find good or bad in the system. That's where my déjà vu feeling comes along!"