The Annual Physical

The bad news was delivered in a text from Kathy. She included the time and address and even the doctor’s name.

I was reminded to be there 15 minutes early, told to wear my mask and was told to ask for a shingles shot and massages for my ever-aching back.

I headed straight to the docs from a job site and to be totally honest I was okay with sitting in a chair for a minute and scrolling through the news of the day.

Didn’t work that way. 

I no sooner sat down when a guy called my name.

He took my blood pressure and checked my pulse rate and had me step on the scale.

All standard stuff but I had dropped a number of pounds since last year’s physical.

Ten minutes later the doctor was there.

“Why’d you lose weight?” She asked.

“They’re working me to a nub,” I said.

She laughed, asked me how I was feeling.

We talked about the back pain, and then she tested my reflexes and listened to my heart and lungs. She then had me follow a pen light with my eyes…

…and that was it!

When we were kids that’s about what we did as a doctor or a nurse in a play setting.

“You want the flu shot?” She asked.

“Give me every shot you want. How about shingles?”

“We don’t do that here. You can get that at the drug store.”

“Oh. Can you prescribe massages.”

“No.”

So, that was that. I headed out.

No shingle shot. No massages. 

She asked ME how I felt!

Sam could’ve given me that physical, but hey…

…I got the flu shot.