“Don’t forget to drink water and get some sun. You’re basically a houseplant with more complicated emotions.”

Woke up Tuesday morning in a sweat. 103 temp. Could not move. I was sick. Very sick.

About noon my wife told me I needed to see a doctor.

Too weak to argue, she dressed me and Ann got the car ready as I struggled with my emotions. What the hell was going on?

We went to one of those medical emergency establishments. They took blood, chest x-rays, and swabs.

30 minutes later, the Doc came in.

So Doc…have I got the flu?

Worse.

Huh?

Not only do you have the flu with a high temperature, but you also have pneumonia.

I was stunned.

You need to go to a hospital Emergency.

Slowly I begin to comprehend.

In the meantime can you give me some prescriptions?

You don’t understand. Given your age, this could kill you. You must go to hospital Emergency now.

Kill me? Wow. What?

So we went. 2 days later, after multiple X-rays, a steady dose of IV drugs, and multiple blood tests all administered by wonderful hospital staff, I emerged. Busted out.

I’m still recovering but feeling much better. In a few days, I’ll be good.

But I can’t get over that statement……………”This could kill you.”

What an attention getter that was.

Wow.

“It is not necessary to know what a person is afraid of. It is enough to know the person is afraid” – “The Sins of the Fathers” by Lawrence Block