Gee, People are Swell!

First, the good news. My father got the results of his PET scan. The doctor said it is very unlikely the spot on his lung is cancer. My father had been anxious and depressed and had pretty much given up. He stopped going to his physical therapy, saying his heart just wasn't in it. After absorbing today's news, he said "Well, I guess I better get my ass in gear." Yep. He'd better.
Now, a 30-minute flashback.
We're sitting in the waiting area and he's going nuts thinking he's about to waste away with lung cancer. He recognizes another man in a nearby chair and they begin to compare notes on their ailments. The man, who describes himself to me as an "old friend of your family," asks my father "Are you having lung trouble?" This is a brilliant question, since we're waiting to see a pulmonologist, but I digress.
My father said, "Maybe so." His "old friend" compassionately replies, "That's what you get for smoking all those cigarettes." My father's response was, "Well, I stopped in the 1980's."
At this point, aghast at the conversation and unaware of who this jackass is, I intervened and introduced myself. He said, "Oh, you're Darrell?" You've put on weight." I said, "Well, thank you for saying so, sir. I've put on weight since when?"
At that moment, mercifully, we were called in to talk with the doctor.
It's a good thing our "old friend" wasn't in the waiting room as we were leaving. Otherwise, his ass may have been in gear, too, thanks to me kicking it.
Good night now.

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