It’s nearly midnight and surprisingly quiet night at the emergency department of St Vincent’s hospital in Melbourne. For the second time this year I am accompanying a friend in need of medical attention after they were taken ill after a Thai seafood dinner.

I doubt there is really anyone who likes the emergency department of any hospital. They’re always rather drab and depressing places, not somewhere that anyone wants to end up I suppose.

In the end it wasn’t an overly long visit to the hospital thanks to the fact that my friend was treated quickly because the Saturday night drunks were getting off to a late start for some reason. Maybe they figured they need to pace themselves because it’s the start of the three day Labour Day weekend?