The Short Story about A Girl

During my stay in the hospital after my operation a while ago, I met a lady. Her name reminds me of my best friend and when I told her so, she said she can be my best friend too. She is 64 years old. Exactly 40 years older than me, even older than my parents.

I didn't plan to be social to anybody especially after I was back from operation room, I didn't feel well. I was puking and choking. I could not stand on my own and I was crying like a baby. A friend of her, who was visiting her was saying, "She (me) is hurting so much)!". The lady (that actually having the operation 4 hours before me) was walking to my bed and said in foreign language, "You don't need to be afraid. This is the best hospital. They have the best doctor here."

At that time, I was sad and confused at the same time. Was I being afraid? Or was it the pain that make me cry?

I could sleep easily that night, maybe because of the medicine they gave me. 

I woke up early in the morning, around 6 o'clock. I could stand up and went to the toilet by my own now. The lady asked me if I know everything in the toilet or not. I did not. The last time I was in the toilet, four nurses came to help me cause I almost fainted.

The lady showed me around inside the toilet from my rack to put all the shower stuffs to the wet tissue for cleaning the toilet. After that, she asked me if I know the pantry to make the tea and refill the water. I did not. So she asked me if I want to go with her, and I said yes. She, again, showed me around and told me this and that. We went back to the room, and started a small conversation. We even had lunch together in the table.

We had a huge language barrier. But the conversation I am about to tell you, hits me hard.

During our conversation, I was telling her so many times that, "Ich bin dumm. Ich bin so langsam!" (I am stupid. I am so slow!). We talked about how I met my husband. We talked about the job, her family, my family, her favorite food, her daughter, her son, what I am doing everyday, and so on. I was telling her how hard for me to fit in, that I was down and about to be more down. I told her that all my friends are really fast and confident to learn the language. Some of them are already having a job and me, still being a couch potato. I told her that my Deutsch is really bad and I don't even know why I am that slow for learning it.

And she said, your Deutsch is really good for someone that living since a year ago. She said several points that I don't remember words by words but still feeling it in my heart. But, I do remember one thing, "You are the brave girl, remember that!"

All my life, I never think about that. I never see my self as the brave person. I thought I just following the life. I was busy filling up my life with sorrow and let the joy passes.

Another nurse came to take my blood and for first time I was in hospital, I smile. The doctor came after that for the control, and I was talking happily and he looked happy too. The nurse came to check my operation spot and put off the infusion, I made a joke with him and even tell him to have holiday in my country.

Suddenly, everything is going to the right path again.