Bedside Manners

Went in to see the doctor, Alan G, whining about a list of ache and pains. This and that. Alan listened to the whole complaint and said, 'Tom, nature doesn't care about you anymore.' Jesus, Alan! 'Yup, it's all gravity and desiccation from here on out.' Great.

So that very evening, by wonderful coincidence, I had dinner with friend Chuck, also a physician, and told him the story. Expecting.... what? I don't know. But in fact what Chuck said when I finished was, 'Did you want a second opinion?'