This scribe faced one such instance during a visit to a reputed government hospital. She found herself stuck with a patient who kept flooding her with suggestions that he thought the reporter must look into – and ensure an immediate change – as if it could be done with a mere click of her fingers.

From political issues and the lack of adequate facilities in institutions to terribly long queues at ticket counters in local stations, the patient filled her in on all the general problems the people in Chennai face. Worried that the reporter might forget all that he had listed, he coerced her into taking down notes as he spoke. The patient also paused at intervals, ensuring that the reporter had enough time to take down what he said. 

Not only that, he also insisted that the scribe visit his family so that they too get the chance to list their grievances in detail. Though she had to politely refuse the invitation, the scribe hoped that people understand that they cannot depend blindly on journalists to solve their problems immediately. Scribes can highlight people’s problems, it is the authorities’, and sometimes the people’s responsibility, to resolve them.