Lend Me Your Ears

I remember years ago laughing at my unfortunate sister when she had an ear infection. She was forced, twice a day, to lie down on her side and have some drops put into her ear. Furthermore, she was required to stay that way, silent and staring out at the world from her side, for about ten minutes.

Now, a hundred or so years later, I know that if she were present, it would be me she would laugh at and I would deserve it completely.

I have a small ear infection. There, I said it. I have a small cut in my ear and I have to, four times a day, lie down on my side, stare out at the world, and drop something into my ear. I am plunged into the sensation of being underwater as I can't hear out of one ear, pressed firmly to the ground, and my other is blocked by some medicinal liquid.

However, unlike my sister, I am forced to lie down four times, rather than two, and there is no mother nearby to put the drops in and to comfort me. I, a busy college student with much else on my mind, am forced to perform this whole unpleasant task all by myself.

Now, why is this a problem?

I am a college student, as stated. I should welcome the forty minutes daily of bliss and quiet.

I think not.

To begin with, there is no mother, as I have said. No one brings me a cookie, no one turns on the television for me, and no one pats my head and tells me in soothing tones that this will all be better. In reflection, my sister had it quite well off.
Next, there is the fact that every minute I lie here, every second that goes by, I have wasted another valuable moment as a college student doing . . . heaven knows what (studying, perhaps?), and to waste even a second means certain doom.

Finally, I have roommates. And the roommates are treated to the sight of me, lying on my side, plunging a dropper into my ear, and they get to laugh.

Laugh, much like the way I was able to snicker and cackle at my poor unfortunate sister all those years ago.

This must surely be karma.
This must surely be her way, from the years in the past, of wishing a swift and terrible revenge upon me.
Well . . . bravo. She wins.

One time done today. Only three more to go.