I’ve been on call and I remember that I’ve run out of milk so, on my way home, I stop at the corner shop to get some.
A couple of local lads who look in their early to mid 30s join the queue in front of me. They’re obviously in the early stages of a night out and are being loud, not rude or aggressive, just loud. One of them clocks me, and I must have been looking as haggard as I felt because he pulls his mate aside and says
“ ‘Ere Jonno, let this geezer go first.”
I’m not in any particular hurry so I reply, “No, no, you were here first” and gesture for them to go ahead.
His mate has turned around to look at me and adds, “Nah mate, after you.”
“Thank you very much,” I say and step forward to pay for a litre of semi-skimmed.
“Thank you very much,” laughs the first bloke as he does a bad impression of my accent. “Are you a student or something?”
“No, a doctor” I say.
Immediately this bloke’s hand comes out to shake mine. “A doctor!” he exclaims and whistles gently. “What are you a G.P. then?”
“No,” I reply, “an anaesthetist.”
He enthusiastically shakes my hand again, “you guys do a great job.”
“Thank you,” I say. “Enjoy your night, fellas” I add as I turn to leave the store.
As I’m walking out a hear his mate saying, “Wow, a real doctor! Can you believe it…” and I smile to myself as I make my way home.
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7 comments:
Moments like that are what you need to remember when your having a rough day, it always helps.
They're older than you and called you a geezer?
Always glad to know there are still those who appreciate us.
Oddly, I get this, too. People who are surprised, when they meet me outside the office, to find out I'm a doctor. I have no idea what a doctor is supposed to look like, but I guess I'm not it.
One of those little wry moments of life, enjoy!
Aww, how nice.
Forgive me if this is a dim question, but 'round here an accent would only give clues as to what geographical part of the country you're from, not anything to do with your job. How is it different there?
Probably not accent. I think a lot of us tend to use "sir", "ma'am" etc. More the phrases than anything else.
I have a generic American accent, but (at least with new patients) I try to be very polite and formal until I get to know them. Many ask if I've ever been in the military (I haven't) because of the way I address them.
Anon - he probably calls everyone "geezer," I didn;t read anything into it
XE - I think he could tell that I wasn't from the local area by the way I spoke. That, coupled with general demeanour led him to assume that I was a student from somewhere else. He was partly right, I'm not a local (but no longer a student either)
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