Ho Wai-On 何蕙安 aka Ann-Kay Lin

Song & Dance of a 3-Time Cancer Survivor

歌舞慶重生第三段《時鐘的旋轉公仔》

Act 3

REVOLVING CLOCKWORK FIGURES


Heroine's stays in hospital – like going through a production line, yet there is human failing that causes unnecessary suffering.


Heroine's opening speech:

During my long battle with cancer, I was in and out of many hospitals for this and that.  Let's see how I can entertain you with my experience – (with an enigmatic smile) – and there's a message too!


Now the music begins:

('Tick Tock' instrumental music)


Chorus:

Time for your pill.

Time for your blood test.

Time for your drip.

Time to get undressed…


Heroine:

Time to undress!

Into this gown that splits at the back

and does not cover your behind!


Chorus:

Convenient for nurses and doctors

at the expense of patients' dignity.


Heroine:

Ah! That clever woman has learnt to walk

holding the splits at the back of her gown together.


Male lead:

You should be glad you were not put into a mixed ward wearing this,

and surrounded by men wearing all-front-but-no-back gowns.


Heroine:

They take your blood, your clothes, your dignity,

and give you in return –

pills and jabs and skimpy gowns.

Some deal!


Chorus:

No time to be ill.

No time to be depressed.

No time to be still.

No time for a rest.

Tubes, tests, tablets –

tabs, jabs, tabs, jabs.

Tick! Tock! Tick! Tock!


Heroine:

Amidst routines that seem reassuring,

there is human failing:

This nurse ticks all the wrong blood tests.

Once the blood is put in the wrong tube,

it is wasted,

and I have to go through all this hell again!


Chorus:

Any human failing

may lead to unnecessary suffering.


Male lead:

At such a traumatic time,

no time to complain.


Heroine:

All those unnecessary sufferings

caused by human failings.

When one has cancer,

one still needs to think.


When clockwork can go wrong –

not so much the consultant,

but the lower ranks,

one cannot leave everything in the hand of others.

For self-preservation and survival

I must think and be alert.

No time to die,

But be alive!


_ _ _


The Heroine had many operations.

So how did she make fun out of this?

See next, Act 4:

OPERATION BLIND DATE


Ouch! Ouch! Operations!

Joking about an operation!

You must be joking!


(Visit Scores page for music score of Act 3, and listen to the midi playback of the score.)


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