BRILLIANTLY NORMAL!

Out of the house before eight o'clock, reached my cardiologist's office at the clinic near the Panhandle at eight twenty. Indulged in a quick smoke before going in, twiddled my thumbs for a minute or so to let the reek of demon tobacco recede, then went in and discovered that there was no one there. Reason being that they don't open till nine. I was an hour early for my nine thirty appointment, but I had been gambling on them dealing with me right away (sometimes it happens) and dismissing me before I was even supposed to be there.

[Actually, I had vastly over-estimated how long it would take to get there.]

Of course what I had forgotten was that most of his patients are old wrecks who have nothing better to do since they retired than get up at the crack of dawn to be on time for their medical stuff. So there were actually two people ahead of me: 俞生 (Mr. Yu) and 龍女士 (Madam Lung), the latter accompanied by her daughter.

Obviously, more thumb twiddling. Thumbs getting a work out.
Circulation in my digits is fine. Legs, not so much.
So the treadmill test was a bitch.
Excuse my language.

Still. Done, out on the street and enjoying a post-medical appointment smoke shortly after ten, back in downtown having a light lunch before twelve. Finished a pipe at one thirty.

LUNCH: SHRIMP CONGEE, YAUTIU, AND HK MILK TEA

The two most beautiful phrases in the English language must be what the Interventional Cardiologist said last year "there's no ulceration, good!" Which meant that the peripheral angioplasty on the lower extremities could be postponed, probably indefinitely.
And what my chief cardiologist said this morning: "you're normal."

Yeah, I know he wasn't talking about my head in any way. Either statement would be a great title for an autobiography, and I might choose them as epitaphs one day. Just to reassure my nearest-and-dearest that, indeed, I had been a regular man.


You're normal. And there is no ulceration!


Did you hear that, gentlepersons? Normal!


Naturally I did not mention to my cardiologist an idea I came up with while in transit. Probably the most dangerous snack in the world if it ever gets made. Spicy salted egg yolk flavoured bacon strips. All the artery clogging cholesterol and salty umami that you want.

香辣鹹蛋黃味培根條。

See, this is why companies don't allow me anywhere near product development or marketing. I'd kill the world with my genius.



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