First Words
…thoughts of an anachronistic, solo pediatrician
by Glenn Feole, M.D.
"Be careful too that the reading of your story makes the melancholy
laugh and the merry laugh louder," Cervantes, Prologue to Don Quixote
Contact: ishmaelish36@gmail.com
Blog site: ishmaelish36.blogspot.com
June 15, 2014
Father's Day
Chief Complaint
“My boy is well.”
Interesting Name:
King
Anecdote:
An anecdote for Father's Day
A Father was in for a check-up with his one and one-half year old son. They were very close and were laughing and playing when I came in the room. When I finished, I said, “Oh, I forgot to ask you about sleep. How is he sleeping?”
The father looked sheepish. “I know I’m not supposed to tell you this but he’s sleeping in our bed.”
We commiserated about how difficult it is at that age to train him to sleep by himself. I told him how, in my experience, if you don’t train them early, it goes on for several years. (When I say I speak from experience, I mean that I speak from hard earned personal experience as well, not just 32 years of pediatric practice...I learned a lot of pediatrics in my pre-pediatrician days...)
He looked at me with a smile and said, “We have two others and my oldest girl is four…and they’re all still in our bed.”
He was happy.
May, 2007, South Carolina
15
On Saturdays I follow Father through factories, pool halls,
tool & die shops, lathes echoing off cinder block as we lug
dollies piled high with syrup, ice cream in hissing dry ice,
under blue fluorescent clouds in meat freezers, slipping in
greasy sawdust, his thumbless left hand zipping razor-edged
metal coffins, zziinngggoooopp!, tossing in candy, cigarettes,
Mother's tuna salad, unclogging hot and cold colored snakes
inside soda and coffee machines, cursing and praying to screws
nuts and wires he means nothing to, kibitzing over his always
moving shoulder to men in overalls and suits at DuPonts, Gerbers,
Bonds, Bausch and Lomb's (everyone a war hero!), handing out
free coffee, cashews, Mounds bars, women giggling as his big smile
swaggers down hallways... until we get home in the dark, stinking
of chocolate, coffee grounds, powdered sugar, soured mayonnaise,
his hands red and swollen from slapping a million backs.
tool & die shops, lathes echoing off cinder block as we lug
dollies piled high with syrup, ice cream in hissing dry ice,
under blue fluorescent clouds in meat freezers, slipping in
greasy sawdust, his thumbless left hand zipping razor-edged
metal coffins, zziinngggoooopp!, tossing in candy, cigarettes,
Mother's tuna salad, unclogging hot and cold colored snakes
inside soda and coffee machines, cursing and praying to screws
nuts and wires he means nothing to, kibitzing over his always
moving shoulder to men in overalls and suits at DuPonts, Gerbers,
Bonds, Bausch and Lomb's (everyone a war hero!), handing out
free coffee, cashews, Mounds bars, women giggling as his big smile
swaggers down hallways... until we get home in the dark, stinking
of chocolate, coffee grounds, powdered sugar, soured mayonnaise,
his hands red and swollen from slapping a million backs.
by Philip Schultz, from Living in the Past.
Coup d'essai: ...
Favorite Song/musician:
Cat Stevens
1970, Freshman in college, my record player constantly turning and playing James Taylor, Cat Stevens and Seals and Crofts. "Tea for the Tillerman" brings me back to peace, joy and Volkswagon Vans. "Oh Very Young" "Hard Headed Woman" "Peace Train"
Lyrical, poetic, philosophical, deep and gentle music.
Favorite Book/author:
Don Delillo
White Noise and Endzone are two of my all time favorites. A gentle tongue in cheek irony that portrays our human foibles in a gentle, humorous way. Intellegent and poignant.
Favorite movie/DVD:
Rushmore (Bill Murray, Schwarzmann)
An ideal comedy with such insight. The closing scene and song are touching.
Favorite Quote:
"Hunger is the best sauce" Cervantes, Don Quixote
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