The neutral decor of the Breast Care Center

At the breast care center, I have ample to time to appreciate the benefits of a neutral decor.

Everything here is designed for soothing: pale yellow walls with grayish accents, touches of cool greens, faux leather seats in tones of rust. The sconces are well behaved. The walls are lined with blonde wooden handrails. The floor tiles harmonize in hues of beige and light purple. Someone has given serious thought to the quality of the earth tones.

The corporate art is one long-rectangle of unobjectionable geometric shapes in muted hues of browns and yellows. Real art, as it turned out, signed, with a flourish. A female artist, I think. But who knows?

There is no music here, no television, no water fountain, no window, only thin warm cotton blankets and the hum of air conditioning.

There are just two of us, patients, in this waiting area. We’ve nodded at each other but this isn’t the place for chitchat.

The tissue box is the purest spot of color in the room: that particular shade of emerald green that was in vogue in 1932 and again in the 80’s. I have always liked the bluntness of its radiance.

But even though the box is conveniently placed on the table between us, and we both start crying at the same time, neither of us reaches for a damn tissue.