I had to break a woman’s heart and make her life more difficult. Oddly, we are neither dating nor married. Also oddly. I have to do what she tells me. Sort of.

I am approaching my annual mandatory health check (a by-product of being older than 40 and on the national health insurance) and it started with a positive email from the company I work for. Ms. Sigh (not her real name) told me it was time for my annual health check and after I told her “No barium” she told me my health check was at the end of June.

The problem is, as I told her, the end of June is one of the busiest times of the term and to go to health check I’d have to miss classes at the school where I work. Even worse, because I’d have to have camera shoved down my throat I’d be both irritable and hungry once I returned to work. (After getting the camera I’m not supposed to eat for a few hours.) Also, my voice would be hoarse and I’d be grumpier than normal.

Note: Ms. Sigh has no clue what happens during the health check and doesn’t understand that I’ll need a nap not a lesson plan once I’m finished.

Oddly, this same thing happened last year except the staff of the company I work for showed up at the school where I work and announced I’d have to do the health check and one of my colleagues could cover my classes. This led to exploding heads and lots of angry phone calls so I’m surprised they tried this again.

I don’t mind the health checks, but I can’t miss work, especially at the end of the term when we are preparing for final exams and i’ll be missing final classes.

As of now all I know is I will have a health check “someday”. Sigh.