That's Life

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Dear That’s Life, 

Well, I have to say that I’ve had some very interesting responses to the piece I wrote regarding my colonoscopy.

A friend of mine told me he could not believe I had written about it and printed it in the paper — “Clearly you don’t really know me,” I responded. My poor husband is thoroughly convinced that there is now nothing this community does not know about me and a couple of people asked me, tongue in cheek, how I was feeling.

One person I saw told me that her husband had his first colonoscopy the same week I had written the article and was feeling a bit down about the entire procedure until he read the paper and was able to really laugh. I was very happy to hear that — sometimes, you just have to laugh and I like to find the humor in anything I can.

The most interesting response, however, was from my editor, Mayer, who said, “Who knows, Miriam, maybe writing about it will get someone else who has been pushing it off to go have one.” I had not thought much about his comment until I ran into a woman I know.

When I first saw her, she looked at me a little askance and since she is someone who really has seen it all, I could not imagine what the look was for. “That was a pretty interesting article you wrote the other week, Miriam,” she said. “Oh, about the colonoscopy?” I asked and she said, “Yes, but aren’t you too young to be having one?” No, I responded, as it was not my first, calling myself a ‘repeat offender.’

She then looked at me sheepishly and said, “I’ve never had one — I’ve been avoiding it.”

Shocked, I told her she needed to just get it done. “You don’t think I know that?” she replied. “You don’t think I keep hearing that from my doctor?”

I listened to her fears and concerns about the procedure, all of which were entirely legitimate, but regardless, I told her what she already knew — she had to just do it.

Mayer’s comment rang in my ears. Over and over again I could hear his voice in my head, repeating that — what would now seem to be — clairvoyant line. So on my way out of the office, I went back to her and wrote down my cell number on a piece of paper and handed it to her.

“Call me,” I said, as she looked at me, a bit stunned. “I will walk you through it, I’ll help you finish the drink and I’ll take you the appointment — but you need to do this.”

She smiled and we talked a couple of minutes longer and then I had to go.

“The offer is real,” I added, as I said good-bye and closed the door behind me.

Who knows? I’ll take her and maybe she’ll take someone else one day. Stranger things have happened. And while this town may seem a bit claustrophobic at times, there’s something to say for a place where everybody knows your name.

MLW