Saturday, October 17: Mississippi Mud
PATIENTS, PATIENTS
by John M. Floyd
A few weeks ago I did something I hate to do. And no, it didn’t involve cleaning rain gutters or going to the opera or trying to make sense of contemporary poetry. It involved a trip to the doctor.
Nothing serious, just a routine checkup. Since my late father had heart problems and since I’ve had an irregular heartbeat all my life and since we have two physicians and a nurse in our immediate family, I have been taught to visit a cardiologist once a year. Thankfully I again received a clean bill of health (looks like I’ll have to keep mowing the yard), but that’s not the reason for this column. I’m writing to tell you about something that happened to me on that visit, something that helped me mentally more than physically.
At the Campfire of the Medicine Man
When I arrived for my appointment the waiting room was empty, so I sat in a chair in the corner and found a Sports Illustrated to take my mind off tests and needles and diagnoses. A moment later a lady came in and sat down across from me, and since we were the only people in the room we chatted awhile about the weather and doctors’ offices and so forth. At one point I must have looked at my watch or something, because she asked me if I needed to get back to work soon.
“No,” I said. “I’m retired.”
“Oh? Where from?”
“IBM. I was there thirty years.”
She nodded politely and I smiled politely and then she snapped her fingers and said, “You know, I bought a book at Borders the other day written by somebody who once worked for IBM. I really liked it — can’t think of his name, though.”
I thought for a moment. “Steve Hamilton, maybe? Jeff Foxworthy? Lou Gerstner?”
“No, the book jacket says he’s from here in Mississippi. It’s a book of short stories.”
Holy moly, I thought. “Was it John Floyd?”
“That’s him,” she said. “Do you know him?”
Close Encounters of the Best Kind
I can honestly say that chance meetings like that are one of the perks of this whole writing gig. I’m sure famous folks must have that kind of thing happen to them often, but it sure doesn’t happen often to me. The lady seemed pleased when I told her I was the author of her book, but I was even more pleased that she’d enjoyed it.
My newfound celebrity status didn’t last long. A few minutes later I got a needle stabbed into my arm and shortly after that I was wired up and sprinting on the doc’s treadmill until my tongue almost dragged the floor. But even those things couldn’t dampen my mood — that friendly reader in the waiting room had made me feel like a million bucks.
Who says visits to the doctor are depressing?
Yes, I understand what you mean–though alas not from personal experience. I think it doesn’t matter whether you’re an up and coming actor, model, singer, movie director, or author . . . being recognized has to be one of the high points in one’s career, but especially at the beginning (not that you’re a beginner). Anyway, congratulations!
Yeah, isn’t that a great experience? The first time it ever happened to me with a reader (as opposed to a fellow writer) was at the car doctor we’ve been using for decades.
One day the receptionist looked up from the check my wife had written and asked “does your husband write for Alfred Hitchcock’s?”
WHen she told me I thought, holy moly, somebody actually READS this stuff. Intimidating!
John,
What a nice reward you received for going to the doctor as you should. Hope you are having a great time at B’con.
Terrie
How nice! The company I work for has changed insurance providers three times in the last two years so I’ve been in more doctor’s offices than I usually am! Next time I’m in a waiting room leafing throug SI I’ll think of this!
Again, How Nice!
Nothing good like that happens to me at a doctor’s office and I spend more time at them than I like. I do get glared at by mothers when I frighten their young children by smiling at the little darlings.
Savor that experience, John. In forty years plus in print, I’ve only run into readers in the wild so to speak twice. In the late ’60s I met a fellow conscript in Vietnam who had read some of my stories in EQMM, and maybe twenty years later my wife and I asked a woman for directions in Washington D.C. and it turned out she’d read one of my novels.
Thanks for the kind comments, guys. And Terrie, I did indeed have a great time at Bouchercon. I left early, though, to drive back to our oldest son’s home in Ohio, where I am at the moment — we’re headed back to Mississippi tomorrow.
As for meeting fans in the wild, Jon, two ladies at last year’s B’con stopped me when they saw my nametag and told me they loved Angela Potts (one of my series characters). Made my day. No such luck this year, however.
That’s really cool, John (one ex-IBMer to another).
John! What a thrill that must have been for you! So great! I’m not surprised at all, however, as you are known much more than you let on. I have had this happen to me a lot because of my picture with my column. It always shocks me, too, that people actually read my column! Funny, huh? Who knew? Such a great column this week! Thanks for the smiles!