Happy New Year's. Human organs. Do not eat.

While I did not go out on New Year's Eve I did go out on New Year's Day. I went to the hospital because I was feeling mischievious and mischief is a pretty good way to start a new year.

Of course, one has to dress for a visit to the hospital and I put on a clean set of coveralls and packed a lunch to eat while I was there. Some people bring a lunch and buy coffee at the coffee shop there. I have seen more than one person do this and the coffee shop people said nothing abouut it so I suppose it is OK.

Anyway I have gotten back from lunch at the hospital and I wandered into the coffee shop attired as mentioned and ordered a coffee and sat down. There was some kind of young hospital technician sitting at the table next to mine. I would estimate she was in her early 20s and when she saw the stickers on my Igloo Playmate lunch box she blancheds a bit but said nothing. The stickers on my Igloo read ''Human Organs. Do not eat."

I fished a sandwich out of the box and unwrapped it and took a bite. I guess the woman's break was over because she got up and left. Her chair didn't get cold, though because a doctor of some kind filled it an instant later. He took one look at me and the lunch box and grinned. "Having an old friend for lunch?" he asked me.

I smirked back at him. I instinctively liked this guy. He was sharp. I looked at him closer and recognized him. He was a partner of a doctor I had treat me some time back. In fact, I had changed a tire for him when I went to the office he shared with the guy that had treated me. I had heard him telling one of the reception people to call someone to come and change it and I spoke up and offered to swap it out after I had been seen by his partner. He took me up on my offer.

I'm sure the Doctor wasn't above changing his own tire, I think he was just too jammed up to be able to do it for himself. Anyway, after I was finished with my appointment I changed the guys tire. I did notice it was not a typical 'Doctor car' in that it wasn't brand new.

"Still driving the same car, Doc?" I asked.

"I was wondering if you'd recognize me," he replied. "No, I got rid of that car a while ago. I probably kept it too long but I hate the process of buying cars so I kept putting it off."

I laughed. I know what he means. Buying a car is misery.

We chatted and he started eating his snack. He had snagged a light lunch and was probably chowing down before doing surgery or something.

The table on the other side was empty and was suddenly occupied by what looked to be a humorless matronly looking woman in a suit. She was some kind of hospital administrator by appearances and wasn't paying attention.

I ignored her and decided to see if she was paying attention. It took a few minutes until she read the stickers on my lunch box and I was treated to a snarf as she must have been drinking her coffee when she read the lunch box stickers.

The doctor laughed outright. He knew exactly what had happened.

The woman turned to me and snapped, "You think that lunch box is funny?"

The doctor headed me off, "I gave him those stickers last Halloween," he told the old prune.

"Yes, but this is not the place to be..." she answered.

"Why not?" countered the doctor. "It's a free country and it's his lunch box. He can put anything on it he wants."

She wasn't mollified, but she wasn't going to argue with a doctor. She picked up her coffee and left.

The doctor turned to me.

"I love this country", he said, smiling at me.




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