“It is much more important to know what sort of a patient has a disease than what sort of a disease a patient has.” - Sir William Osler






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Conversations With My Father


I am sure I am not the only one faced with this situation, but my dad (though I dearly love him) is what you might call behind the times. I herewith submit a few examples of this fact.


Conversation One

Dad (apropos of nothing): I was listening to the radio driving home last night and this guy came on. And he talked, and he talked, and he talked. And then this band came on, and they played pretty good, but then the guy came back on and he just wouldn't stop talking!

Me (after I think for a minute): Was he talking about a place called Lake Wobegon?

Dad: Yeah, I think that was it.

Me: Dad, that was Garrison Keillor. People pay to hear him talk.

Dad: Well, I wanted to hear him shut up.


Conversation Two

This took place about ten years ago, back when Dad was still practicing medicine and when specialists could pay for fancy holiday parties.

Dad: Dr. X (a cardiologist) had this great party last weekend. He had a band that was like the Beatles, I guess. Your mother and I danced ourselves silly.

Me: Young Beatles or later Beatles?

Dad: Huh?

Me: Did they have short hair and wear suits?

Dad: Yep.

Me: Young Beatles.


Conversation Three

Dad (again apropos of nothing): What the hell is a blog?

Me: It stands for 'weblog.' It just means that people have, like, this journal or diary on the Internet. I have one.

Dad: You do??

Me: (sigh) Yes. Didn't Mom show you?

Labels: Pop Culture, The Doctor's Life

posted by Dr. Alice at #