We all develop some kind of sense of humor. Even the most dreary of us has something that tickles that ol’ funny bone, at least a little. I realize this when I’m at a meeting and some nice colleague comes up and compliments “Chairside” and then proceeds to tell me something like this: “Hey, you’ve got to use this in your column.
One time I had a patient who had really thick glasses and he asked me if he was legally blind! You should use that story! That’s funny! Right?”
I may be pompous but I am always polite to my colleagues. I smile and say thanks, and then quickly run the other way.
It’s Funny ‘Cause It’s True
This may sound kinda odd, but only recently have I started paying attention to what makes me laugh. For me, what’s funny is always what’s true. For example:
• I got an e-mail the other day from a longtime patient who apologetically explained that he was changing eye doctors because he felt that he could not afford my fees and that he would have to “go to a cheap doctor from now on.” OK, that’s funny to me already. However, that’s not the really funny part. I laughed for ten minutes that evening when I saw a TV commercial for a local gambling casino and there was this patient at a slot machine, just having a great ol’ time. To me, that’s funny.
• I had a new patient come in last year who had not owned any glasses for several years. He was a 30-year-old 2.00D myope. He’s a truck driver for the U.S. Postal Service. To me, that’s funny.
• I had a patient come in today who had LASIK three years ago. His distance refraction is plano O.U. His VA sc is 20/25 O.D. and O.S., 20/20 O.U. He brought me a report from his recent follow-up visit at the LASIK center, where he had made an appointment to see if he qualified for an enhancement. The report said that the “LASIK enhancement was a good option.” To me, that’s funny.
• A lady once told me that the reason I had never examined her husband is that he has “perfect eyes” and that he never had to have glasses. He just borrowed her glasses when he drove, she said. To me, that’s funny.
• A young boy’s mom told me that there’s nothing more important than her eyes. Her last eye examination was 23 years ago. To me, that’s funny.
• I once had a patient complain that when he shut his eyes, he “couldn’t really see anything.” To me, that’s funny.
• I saw a young man applying for a job at one of the quickie optical shops.
He was extremely well dressed and personable. And he had a snake tattooed around his neck. To me, that’s funny.
• When I am at a national optometry meeting, I constantly have people come up and ask to see the bottom of my shoes, a reference of course to my photo in Review. (See below.) To me, that’s funny.
• Today I had a patient remind me that when he was in for his examination last year, I “made” him shovel snow in front of the office. To me, this kind of power (and the fact that he actually ever returned) is funny.
• I was recently asked to speak at a large multi-area optometry meeting. They asked me what COPE-approved C.E. topic I would want to deliver. To me (a guy who wore a Z.Z. Top beard and swimfins during my last speech) that’s funny.
• I once had a “Chairside” reader request an autographed picture. So I sent him a signed photo of my diverticulosis from my colonoscopy.
Come on. You know that’s funny.
