Mary Kay, Bob Newhart, Dr. Wilson

Not necessarily in that order.
Today started at Urgent Care, where it took nearly two hours to get a prescription for a condition that takes about ten minutes to diagnose. Dr. Wilson, a tall, heavy-set and somewhat sleepy guy, was the only physician on duty. I waited 45 minutes in an exam room for the pleasure of a five-minute consultation -- which is all it takes to prescribe antibiotics for a bladder infection. I've had enough of these over the years that by now there should be a standing order -- like a permanent hall pass, I should just be able to walk into any pharmacy in America and say hey -- gimme Cipro. No such luck though. So I got to work two hours later than I intended, and brought work home with me to avoid staying through dinner.

Couldn't get rid of a headache most of the day -- I've been congested for so long that I just assumed it was sinus -- and after drinking half a small pot of tea, the ache disappeared. Now I realize I hadn't had any coffee this morning. What's up with my body? I've been sick for two weeks, that's what's up; but so has the rest of the family.

Margarette stopped by to deliver some Mary Kay products this evening. I'm not particularly enamored of the Mary Kay racket, nor a convert to their products, but price-wise it compares with the better retail cosmetics. And Margarette is a friend. So every few months I write Margarette a fat check, thereby doing my part to send her twins through college. There was a public tv special on about Bob Newhart, when Marg and Ann (her mom) arrived, and for a minute we were all lost in the details of Bob's private life -- after all, when's the last time any of us thought about Bob Newhart? But I grew up on his particular brand of humor, along with the Smothers Brothers and Carol Burnett. Comedy was a big part of my tv childhood. Later, "Hi Bob" was a drinking game people played in college dorm rooms. Not every guy has a drinking game named for him. Immortalized by alcohol, a terribly American phenom.

Dr. Wilson reminded me of an actor I know, someone like Charles Grodin or some lesser-known character actor. Not quite good-looking, but certainly self-assured. What else can you be, when you make a living at feeling up total strangers? "Here are your kidneys. Does this hurt? How's the colon, here? Still have your appendix?" Poke, poke. "And when I push here it makes you have to go to the bathroom." Thanks Doc.