Matters Of The Heart

They always lead you into the examination room like 15 minutes before they know the doc will be ready to see you so you can get properly chilled. It's always cold. The nurse had weighed me (I'd lost 2 pounds), said my pulse and blood pressure were at the low end of the normal range for a guy my age, and with a "The doctor will be right in to see you" left me to sit and stare at the walls for 15 minutes. It was time for my quarterly check-up!

Larry came in after awhile looking at the charts in his hand and we exchanged the usual pleasantries. He sniffed the air near me and said "you're still smoking, aren't you? You need to stop, it's not good for you!" He asked if I had started the anti-depressants again because I didn't appear depressed. We joked about the last time he'd asked that, maybe a year ago, and I replied that maybe it was because a good looking 24 year old had told me how much she liked older men and we'd been seeing one another for awhile. Then we joked about whether my unruly mop of hair was due to dating young chicks (I don't usually do that) or my pack a day habit. He'd told me to "Enjoy the ride! It won't last!" He was right, but it was a fun few weeks.

I told him about Dawn and how she was only about ten years younger, not forty. Still, Dawn seems quite capable of keeping my depression at bay. A quick vision check, and after listening to my heart and lungs he pronounced me in great health. Everything was within specs and sounded clear, heart and lungs both. We could put off extensive "blood work" until the next go 'round. I told him about my new grandaughter and we said our goodbyes. It was nice and warm out in the parking lot.