Swami looked restless even before we sat down at the café. His phone screen was glowing with multiple tabs open. I recognized the familiar pattern — Swami was in the middle of a health scare.
“Jigneshbhai!” he said in a hushed, urgent voice. “Last night I had this dull ache in my shoulder. I googled it. Do you know what it could be?”
Across the table, Jigneshbhai calmly stirred his coffee. “Hmm,” he said.
“It could be heart disease. Or early signs of arthritis. Maybe even a nerve problem! The internet said it might also be a vitamin deficiency.”
Jigneshbhai took a sip of his coffee and smiled faintly. “Or it could just be a shoulder ache, Swami.”
By then Swami had pulled out his notes app. He had listed at least twelve possible diagnoses, each scarier than the last.
“I booked an appointment with Dr. Menon this evening,” he said. “But what if he misses something? Doctors are busy these days. We have to be alert. We have to do our own research.”
Jigneshbhai raised an eyebrow. “If you’ve already diagnosed yourself, what’s Dr. Menon supposed to do? Prescribe coffee?”
Swami ignored the jab and kept scrolling. “I also checked possible treatments. Some websites said surgery. Others suggested supplements. Do you think I should get a second opinion?”
Jigneshbhai smiled. “You’re already on your fifth opinion, Swami. Four from the internet, one from yourself.”
When evening came, I went along with them to the doctor’s clinic. Swami clutched his notebook full of symptoms, ready to present his case. Jigneshbhai sat back in the waiting room with a steaming cup of coffee from the kiosk outside.
Ten minutes later, Swami came out looking sheepish.
“What happened?” I asked.
“The doctor said it’s probably just a muscle strain. He told me to rest, no badminton for a few weeks, avoid Google, and drink plenty of water.”
“And coffee?” Jigneshbhai asked, his eyes twinkling.
Swami sighed. “He didn’t mention coffee.”
Jigneshbhai leaned back, smiling knowingly. “That’s because some things are best left unsaid.”
In a world where every symptom leads us to search engines, we forget that not every ache needs a diagnosis.
Sometimes, the best prescription is patience — and a hot cup of coffee.
***