Shortly, my dear, shortly

I’d never met this doctor, so I was unprepared for his hurried and noisy entrance into the room where I had been waiting for him. It’s not called “the waiting room” for no reason. I’d been ushered into the room by the nurse who asked me my name, birthday, medications, and then promised, “the doctor will be in shortly.”

What an obsolete phrase – “will be in shortly.” Shortly as in five minutes, or 30? All in the eye of the beholder, or in this case, in the seat of the beholder. I was beholden to ...