One of the benefits, sometimes the best benefit, and for some the only benefit, of marriage is the occasional free humor it can provide.

This particular tale goes back to the blissful premarital years when I was dating my wife. My wife throughout our entire relationship has seemed to have an uncanny knack of being the living example of “if it can happen to anybody it can happen to her”. In this particular case she contracted cellulitis. Cellulitis, without referencing Google, is an affliction that can turn to gangrene and cause loss of limbs and even death in some cases.

You have probably never heard of many people having this condition, but enter my wife. There were three possible causes for her affliction. She was messing with an awning to a camper and tore off a fingernail. She also stepped on a rusty nail. The third I used to remember, but nothing seems better for deleting memory cells than marriage.

One of probably a combination of these episodes resulted in her contracting cellulitis. She wound up in Fort Sanders hospital for a number of days on a heavy antibiotic drip to restore her health.

She relates that one morning around six o’clock she was awakened by a booming voice shouting “MARY WOODS!” She awoke to see a (not bad looking, she said) man in her room. He was dressed in motorcycle regalia and had on cowboy boots, leather, and chains. This gentleman announced himself as her orthopedic doctor.

His treatment resulted in a cure, and as is the case she was required to follow-up routinely for several months following her discharge from the hospital. On one of her visits, the doctor pronounced her progress as highly satisfactory. He told her, “You know, they sent me to you in the hospital to cut off your d--- hand, but I told them I thought I would try some other things first.” Lucky for her that this doctor took the initiative for a cure rather than a quick fix.

On another of my wife’s visits the doctor came in wiping his brow. He said, “I’m sorry for being late, but I’ve had a h--- of a morning. You know, I gave a woman a shot a little while ago, and I want you to know that d--- woman died.” It seems the lady was allergic to the medication, and neither she nor the doctor was aware. My wife said, “I bet that scared you when she died.” The doctor replied, “Why, h--- no, I wasn’t the one dead!”

I was reminded of this story when I read this doctor’s obituary in the paper just last week. I never met the man, but in my mind he lives in infamy. I’m sure there are many who would have judged him on his personality and attire and have requested another physician. Had my wife have been such a person, she might be one-handed today.

As we leave 2020 and move into 2021, there are undoubtedly some that we will meet for the first time. I believe all humans have a tendency to make hasty first impressions, and I also believe that in many cases those impressions don’t change over time. It might be wise to make a point of studying those individuals who seem eccentric to us. There just might be more below the surface than appears at first sight. Who knows—the strangest person you meet in 2021 might become your best friend, advocate, and possibly give you a hand (or help you keep the ones you have).

I leave you with a quote from my email world.

Paul Horning, Green Bay Packers running back, on why his marriage ceremony was before noon: “Because if it didn't work out, I didn't want to blow the whole day."