Tell Us About Your Pain

On Wednesday I had my annual with Doc McKenna, my Beach Boy Neuro-Otologist. Christ on cochleae, I love this man. He is empathy incarnate.

I was a bit nervous about this appointment in that, I knew I’d tell him that The Amazing Bob had taken a midsummer shuttle outta this life. I figured I’d start balling my eyes out and I’m never comfortable breaking down like that in front of ANYone. (uptight much, Donna?) So, how’d things play out?

McKenna walks into the exam room and, instead of sporting his usual big ass smile, he looks like he just got word that his fave auntie croaked. The hell?

I asked him, with all the compassion I could muster, wut up, you look so sad. 

I heard, he says.

Oh.

I don’t know when but Doc Plotkin, my always upbeat and creative neurologist had called him – given him the 411. I'm glad he did. My Beach Boy Neuro-Otologist gave me half dozen or 50 of the most tender, big hugs. He listened while I told him what TAB meant to me (and then I got more bear embraces).

In any case, everything up top in Brain City is stable (from a physical POV, that is). He told me, if there’s ANYthing you need, you tell me. Tempting as it was to go through my current NEED list, I refrained. A few things from that list:

• To have already lost 30 pounds (Yes, I'm in extreme calorie counting diet hell).
• For Clinton to have won the electoral college as well as the popular vote.
• Bob to be alive and healthy.
• Rocco too.
• 75 degree sunny weather.
• An all expense paid trip to Iceland.
• CAKE (all the taste and none of the calories)

McKenna’s brill but I think these here might possibly be outside his area of expertise. He did however score me the names of two different neuro-ophthalmologists with whom I can connect (given the mondo annoying, disappointing and fucked up quality of my meeting with Lessell’s replacement).

From Mass Eye and Ear, I wandered over to Central Square where I met my awesome pals Steve and Elaine for drinks and din-din.

Central Square is just about my fave place in the whole Boston/Cambridge area. Rodney’s Bookstore is there. The Field – beloved Irish bar – is molto conveniently on Prospect right near the T stop. MARY CHUNG’S for baby Bast's sake!!! And, from back in my club frequenting, hearing days, there’s The Middle East and the now gone T.T. the Bear’s.

There’s a new joint here, Thelonious Monkfish. New to me anyway. The name alone inspires me to check the place out. Also too, it’s a sushi/Asian Fusion restaurant WITH live jazz. Win fucking WIN! Now, unless the music is percussion heavy, I won’t hear/feel it BUT I still want to come here and drink in the atmosphere. Maybe I’ll bring a sketch pad and pull a Toulouse-Lautrec.

Yes, excellent idea!