WAITING ROOM ENCOUNTERS OF THE THIRD KIND

At the Jewish Hospital in Cincinnati, I had a number of interesting encounters in the waiting room.

The waiting room volunteer said that there was coffee, tea and water available. I said, "Sweetheart, I think I'll have some tea." Luann, another person there waiting, jumped up and said, "I'll get it for you." Gerald said, "You have more than one sweetheart!" I thanked her for fetching the tea for me and we had a delightful conversation about the word "fetch".

I can get used to being served!. I did my best Blanche Dubois imitation, "I've always depended on the kindness of strangers."

Later, a woman named Pat and her daughters and nieces came in to the waiting room. Pat's daughter Tonya admired her cousin's hot-pink Coach purse. The cousin told Tonya she could get a very good deal for her and began making phone calls. Tonya began to fret that her husband would not like for her to spend that much money and I spoke up and said, "Just tell him that you're getting the Coach purse instead of a JUDITH LEIBER purse." None of that group had heard of Judith Leiber; I brought up Judith Leiber's designs on the internet. I said, "See, this sweet little minaudiere costs JUST $2,450.00. I said, "Even better, let's tell him that you're NOT getting a BIRKIN bag!" None of the gals had heard of Birkin either. Oh, I just had to show them a Birkin by Hermes. I said, "Shucks, the starting bid is just $69,000.00 compared to $114.00 for the Coach! Just tell him how lucky he is that you JUST want the Coach!"

However, I cannot behave myself for very long. The news about the Supreme Court decision about the Affordable Care Act was announced and several people were discussing it and one said, peevishly, "Well, there isn't anything we can do about it NOW!" I said, "THANK GOD!" It is always amusing to me when people are obviously NOT accustomed to being contradicted. The word HARRUMPHED is perfect for the reaction I received!