Acting My Age

1 June 2011
Back in the Sierra Vista saddle again. I was home for almost a fortnight (not sure how long that is exactly but it feels right using it) so it makes it especially difficult coming back down here and leaving Jill to the mercies of end of year book reports (kids still in school until June 10th-nothing like watching kids flying kites in the park while you are on your way to class) and potty training (Zach has been our toughest since he apparently considers himself to be a bear in the woods- the world is his restroom).
Of all the things patients ask me I hear “How old are you?” by far the most often, (“how tall are you?” being a close second). Generally this isn’t a question that bothers me, especially now that I am officially older than mid 30’s (36), and as one of my brothers put it recently, “easily half way dead”. Of course with the marvels of modern medicine I’m hoping for a bit longer than 70 (will take me that long just to pay off my student loans). Years ago after I had completed my BA in education and was working on my medical school prerequisites I was substitute teaching in the Mesa school district. I found myself one day with a job at Carson Junior High, my old middle school. As I was walking to my truck to leave for lunch I was loudly hailed from behind to “get in the crosswalk!” I turned around and found Mr. Jurca, my 8th grade English teacher from 14 years prior, giving me the skunk eye. I told him I was heading to my car. Apparently, thinking I was a smart aleck teenager, (half right at least) I was told to use the crosswalk to get to the seminary building (located at the far end of the lot). Clearly being mistaken for a 9th grader (I was 26 at the time) I walked to the truck, waved, gave a little honk and headed for a monster burger at Pete’s, all under the baleful glare of that skunk eye.
I tell my patients the key to being young is doing what the kids these days are doing, which in my house includes lots of Phineas and Ferb, making paper Chinese throwing stars, and plenty of Justin Beiber (which I currently have blasting on my trailer speakers as I type……Ella keeps asking for her CD back…I’m man enough to admit it- though I don’t go as far as my bro-in- law Ryan who is a self proclaimed #1 fan…little too far there man).