“Love, like life, is much stranger and far more complicated than one is brought up to believe” – An Unquiet Mind by Kay Jamison

 The quest for a new GP Doctor here in Victoria began on the internet. A list of qualified physicians was printed.

Phone calls began.

The exercise became one of searching for a live human being with a non-recorded voice.

Finally, on the seventh try a real human being cheerfully announced – “Good afternoon, this is Doctor Ortiz’s office, Linda speaking, how may I help you?”

Shocked. Stunned. Momentarily speechless I eventually croak “Is this a real live person? She, kind of perplexed, replied “last time I checked, yes I am real and alive.”

Wow. My lucky day. I wanted to immediately purchase a lottery ticket.

So, after a few questions, Linda set me up with an appointment on 3/3 at 2pm. That quick and easy.

3/3 I arrive 30 minutes early to fill out paper work as a new patient.

2 pm I’m ushered into the proverbial room. Answer a few questions for the friendly nurse Isabelle. Then – the Doctor will be with you in a few minutes, she says.

I’m thinking wow, professional and on schedule. I have hit the mother lode.

And right on schedule, after a brief 5 minute wait, Dr. Ortiz walks in, introduces himself and asks what he can do for me today.

I began to describe the reason for my visit and the conversation somehow got side tracked to: where did he get his medical degree – Germany – The Army – Spain – bull fights.

He said he’d never seen a bull fight and I advised him to not see one. Bloody mess.

Then, much to my chagrin, he advised me that he wanted to do that thing that only crazy people do: RUN WITH THE BOOLS in Pamplona, Spain.

Soooooooooooooooo……………………the search continues.

“Viewed in abstractions, love is the same thing for everybody. It thrills the same way, and devastates with bloodless efficiency” – “This Is What I Want” by Craig Lancaster