ONE DAY AT THE CARDIOLOGIST

At cardiologist. This is a world of silliness, bowing, scraping, simpering-- interaction with clerical staff is all in 'sing song'- like kindergarten. Heeeerrre's 🎶 your receeeeiiiipt!!(empty smile; vacuous blink)- how aaaaaarrrreeeee yoooooooo? 🎶 🎶 all staff treat the patients as though they are dribbling, almost-dead, unaware stooges. It's just awesome! Being talked to like an idiot child, for almost an hour, is fascinating.

 I always speak to them with clarity, authority and directness, like I might speak to a copy clerk who just started in my office yesterday. This hits them like a jolt. They straighten up, they blink, they look shocked- it's kind of fun. You can almost hear the wheels turning--"Jesus! This old guy isn't sucking and wimping because we are wearing scrubs. I think he knows we are not even nurses. Maybe he knows I am in drug rehab... shit!!" " He's standing up straight and looks squared away. He looks dangerous "