161. What?

Dr. Harry Bunch is a  man in his fifties with a boyish face and an open manner.

"Hey," he said as he came in the examining room while the nurse took my blood pressure, "you're the guys from up on the mountain!"

I admitted we were indeed, but were no longer there because of the fire.

"Yes, I know.  Sorry to hear it.  So what can I do for you, Abbot?"  he asked, surprising me.

"How did you know I'm the Abbot?"  I asked.

"Your bodyguard caught me as I was coming down the hall a moment ago.   He snuck in from the waiting room. I threw him out.  I hope you don't mind ... or would you prefer to have him in here with us?"

"Not at all," I said.  "Brother Bilhild can be annoying at times."

 "So what's the problem, Abbot ..."

 "Please, call me Jesse ..."

 "Ok, what's up, Jesse?  And you will please call me Harry."

 "I guess I just need a check-up," I said, "and Bouncer thinks I'm getting too forgetful."

 Harry poked and prodded me, asked a lot of questions, sometimes going back to earlier questions to see if he got the same answer.  He finally pronounced me physically fit, although out of shape.

 “You don’t need to worry about being forgetful.  You’ll probably find it comes and goes,” said the doctor.                

"Some of us get that way early and others wait till their nineties.   It probably wouldn't hurt to have someone to check with, just so you don't get to be a danger to yourself.  Should I call him in?”

“Who?” I asked.

The doctor looked at me.  "The man waiting for you," he said.  

"Oh .... OK," I said.

"Who's waiting for you, Jesse?" asked the doctor.

I remained mum.  For the life of me, I couldn't follow what he was saying.  Why would anyone be waiting for me?

"Where are we, Jesse?" the doctor asked.

"In town,"  I answered.

"What's my name, Jesse?" the doctor asked.

A long time seemed to pass.  Then I said, "I don't know."

Sorry if I used this before. I still like it.