Blogfinger

Entrepreneur.com

#1   Scene: At home in Ocean Grove. The landline phone rings, and Paul answers it

PG: “Hello.”

Disembodied voice, after a bit of a delay:   “I would like to speak to Mohammed Mohammed.”

PG:   (eyebrows raised) “I think you have the wrong number”—–without further ado, he hangs up.  (I think, “Is this a joke?”)

#2 Scene: Doctor’s office . Paul arrives on time for an appointment that he has waited for for months. He signs in and sits down. There are a few people in the waiting room. One hour goes by.

PG :(getting up from his chair; walks over to the window with the office workers):   How much longer do I have to wait? (I have a personal rule never to wait longer than one hour for a doctor, even if he is Albert Schweitzer and the only doctor for 100 miles in the Congo)

Keeper of the window–a woman.  She shuffles through some papers: “I don’t have you on my list. Let me get your chart” …she looks around the desk area and says, “Your chart is not here.”

PG: “What??”

Keeper of the window: “But don’t worry because he can see you anyhow; however there are three people in rooms now ahead of you.”   (Knowing this doctor, I think, “3 times 30 is 90 minutes.”)

PG: ” I’m leaving now.” ( I motion to Eileen who came with me and has been desperately craving a cup of coffee.)

Keeper of the window: Do you want to reschedule? (I’m thinking, “It’s time to leave now before steam comes out of my ears. Just another example of the deterioration of the healthcare system, at least as it is practiced in Manasquan, NJ.”

Eileen: “Of all the gin joints in the world, we had to come here.” (She didn’t actually say that, but Bogart does come to mind or Cagney who causes mayhem in his movies—I wish I were a tough guy like Cagney)

CHAKA KHAN.