by Elvis » Fri Mar 16, 2018 2:38 am
True story:
Today my 82-year-old mother, scheming to obtain doctor's approval for early discharge from a convalescent facility, told me three times, "Now when I tell the doctor what I'm going to do, don't contradict me!"
At the meeting, the doctor was reluctant to approve early release "on medical advice." My mother assured him that she'd be okay because she'd be "staying with my son at his place in [city 100 miles away]."
Ha! News to me! And impossible, as she knew. The doctor must have noticed my surprise, and asked what I thought of that. I said that I thought she should complete her stay and course of therapy (which was true).
The doctor turned to Mom, grinned and said, "I think the reality of the situation is not matching up with what you're telling me..." (which was true).
She said if she spent one more night in that place, she'd go to the roof and jump off (mostly a lie).
After my brother said he would stay in town a few days longer to be with her (true), the nice doctor signed the release and we took Mom home.
An English prof began class one day by telling us, loudly, "The word home is the most powerful word in the English language." That may be true.
Later, driving me home, my brother and I talked about how Bernie Sanders never lies, and how people really liked that about him, even if they only sensed it.
“The purpose of studying economics is not to acquire a set of ready-made answers to economic questions, but to learn how to avoid being deceived by economists.” ― Joan Robinson