Recently, I've noticed something.
That, in itself is remarkable.
Moving on . . .
I work with a group of elderly people.
Some of them like nothing better than
talking about their health.
Or lack thereof.
I've been treated to stories of gall
bladders.
Knees.
Hips.
Hearts.
Mysterious lumps.
And a plethora of aches and pains.
I cluck sympathetically.
Knowing that each of these ailments
will probably visit me at some point.
But what is truly remarkable is the
fact that the very young people I also associate with, ie. my
grandchildren, are equally interested in their health.
Scrapes, bruises and cuts are examined
minutely and then displayed, accompanied by a lurid tale of woe.
Often.
Sometimes, a tiny wound might go
undetected for several days. Have scabbed over and be well on its way
to healing. But once discovered, it must be fussed over and bandaged
and kissed.
Several times.
My two-year-old granddaughter had
fallen and bumped her head.
Just above her eye.
After the initial tears and hysteria,
she had examined her wound in the mirror.
There was a distinct bruise above her
eye.
“Mom!” she said loudly. “Bonk
eye!”
Her mother agreed that, yes, she had
'bonked' her eye.
But that wasn't enough.
She had to tell everyone in the room.
Several times.
Later, at dinner, she mentioned it
again.
Several more times.
Her uncle Tristan, having been at an
activity, was late to dinner.
He slid into his chair and started
dishing out food.
Here was someone new to tell.
“Unca Tristan!” she said, “Bonk
eye!”
Tristan looked at her. “Yes, I see
that you bonked your eye,” he said. He started eating.
“Unca Tristan, look! Bonk eye!”
“Yes,” he said.
“Bonk eye, Unca Tristan!”
“Yes.”
She took a couple of bites of food.
Then, “Unca Tristan!”
“I know,” he broke in, rather
wearily.
“Bonk eye!”
“Yes.”
This went on through the remainder of
the meal.
And every time we saw her for the next
few weeks.
Long after the slight bruise had
healed.
And until the next injury pushed it off
the front page.
Then it was, “Unca Tristan! Look!”
He looked at me. “On, man. Are we
going to have another chorus of 'bonk-eye'?” he said.
I laughed.
Health issues.
Most important at each end of the age
scale.
Differing only in seriousness.
Not in concern.
