Hallucinations

I hate being sick. Wait, let me rephrase that. I hate being sick at home in Bombay. Not because of the weather or anything like that, but because it gives my father the opportunity to experiment on me with strange drugs. (He's a doctor).

While I've been living on my own in New York (and its been 7 years), I've never sought medical attention, never had a check up or a blood test even. Come to think of it, besides that horribly ingrown toenail that nearly made me bleed to death and the visits for my contact lenses, I've never visited a doctor in the United States. Oh, and the dentist who fixed my broken tooth. And even that, I tried to fix in my own Neanderthal way. I normally pop an Excedrin or an Advil for the pain (if there's pain), curl into bed, turn on the E! channel and deal with it, with an unlimited supply of caffeine.

Out here its a totally different ball game. First, we have to get rid of the "evil eye" (that used to be my mother, when she was around, now its my aunt - her sister.) This is a ritual consisting of salt and prayer, don't ask about the details, really. Once we've dumped salt into the evil eye, we have to rid the demons, followed by the head massages (this part I like) with a lot of chattering (don't like). I murmur "I'm trying to sleep" She gets ready to leave "But don't stop the head massage." Bratty, eh?

Right before I'm about to nod off is when my father gives me the pills. There's about 3 of them this time (what're they for? this one will cure the sleeplessness, this one's an anti-histamine, the third one is to avoid the hangover effect - huh?). I have no strength to argue. I just pop them and fall asleep.

I am now in this state of grogginess. I think I woke up twice in between, only I have no memory of it, just a feeling. Various images I saw floating by when I was asleep:










I'm not terribly sure (although I'm sure there's a link) how these images are all connected. This is why I hate being medicated here at home. Strange visions emerge in my hallucinogenic state and I have no idea what the thread is.

Back to bed. Or not.