Three bags of crisps, two chocolate bars, one can of Coke and two fingers to the NHS.

I spent quite some time sitting in the waiting and assessment area of a hospital Accident and Emergency department yesterday, for reasons I won't go into here.
Whilst there, I witnessed a steady stream of walking wounded with pained faces. The staff dealt with them efficiently and seemingly without judgement.
One young man arrived with his girlfriend. She explained to the assessment nurse how he hadn't been able to go to the toilet since the previous evening, and that he had severe lower abdominal pain. He sat, looking suitably uncomfortable, saying little.
The nurse suggested that he should be checked out by a doctor and asked them to wait to be called through to the consulting room.
It was about lunch time and the couple were getting hungry. Unable to move, the young man muttered something to his girlfriend and she walked over to the bank of vending machines on the other side of the waiting room. She returned several minutes later and handed him three bags of crisps, two chocolate bars and a can of Coke, which he consumed before his consultation with the doctor.
I don't think I need say any more.

(Posted this morning on my Posterous blog).