PLAYING A DOCTOR ON TV

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I was on my way to the church where I do counseling, the other day, and I happened to be wearing my "Dr. Bill McDonald, PhD" blue knit shirt, as I am prone to do when I work in the office.

On the way to the church, I stopped by the post office to get my mail. After I checked my P.O. box, I turned to walk out the door. Just as I reached the door, a middle-aged Chinese woman walked in, paused a moment, and said in a slightly accented voice.

"You're a doctor!"

Well, I didn't know whether to hang my head, and apologize for my academic credentials, or smile and exclaim,

"Oh yes, I have so many degrees they call me Dr. Fahrenheit."

But as a result, I took a well worn alternate approach.

"Oh, I just play a doctor on TV!!!"

It never occurred to me that she might have taken me seriously, (though it is possible that she did), since she gave me a somewhat crooked grin and walked on past me.

Now, an elderly Chinese man walked in behind her, and having apparently heard his daughter's exclamation and my response, he stood with half his body blocking my way out the door... and just stared at me, and continued in the stationary, silent mode another five seconds.

To which I finally said,

"Uhmmm, excuse me."

Now, the older man slowly moved and continued his way into the post office, and I finally managed to get out the door.

And it only occurred to me a couple of hours later, but suddenly a thought made its way through my somewhat thick cranium.

"Perhaps both daughter and father took me seriously, and thought they were looking at a "As the World Turns" soap opera actor, and figured they'd "get a load full" of this not so famous television star."

With this, I chuckled under my breath, and went on with what I had been doing.

by William McDonald, PhD