der Bauberzerg - 02. Mod, Mother of Dragons

 Mod, Mother of Dragons

Mod is a nurse at Barbaret Bobin and sometimes acts in a team leader role. 

Mod’s real name, although starting also with M and in the same three-lettered form, is not Mod. Mod is just short for mother of dragons, because Mod is as fierce as the dragon mother from the most hyped TV series in the 2010s.

Taking away the fierceness, Mod is still quite a character. In looks she bears a striking resemblance to one of my associates from church: same height, same tone of voice, similar features, and both wearing glasses of the same shape and size. Mod enjoys analysing French poetry and speaks several languages, same as my church associate, although I never got a chance to ask Mod about her faith.

One night I was restless and bored (there are no books available in one of the Barbaret Bobin wards; there’s only three, and the one with no books nor anything is the acute unit) and Mod was on shift. She wasn’t assigned to me, but she was the only one available when I was struck by this sudden and particular hankering for books. 

I asked Mod if she could venture down her dragon’s lair’s share of the library and get me something to read. Mod said ok, which in itself was a miracle because hardly any nurse said ok to my immediate requests when I was in the acute ward.

Mod returned a while later with two books. One was a novel so boring I can’t recall its name, and the other was an analysis on French poetry. I thought Mod must be mad; my French isn’t that good, certainly not to the point of being able to appreciate poetry, and I just wasn’t into the novel that came with. 

When I voiced my concerns, Mod stated that these were the only books she could find at the time. I returned to my cell with both. I attempted to engage with both, and failed twice.

Now I’ve returned more or less to my pre-maniac state, I am able to appreciate the beauty of poetry regardless of language, and I am more likely to be able to sit down over a novel that I might not like to begin with, just to see if it improves further down the line.

Thanks, Mod. Like Rerry VIII, Mod takes jokes with a poker face but laughs her dear little heart out behind my back with her colleagues. I did mind a little bit. Not any more. I’m glad I could be of service, although said service was just to be a laughing stock. We all need some laughs don’t we.