Doctor Jen?

On Sunday the man had to go into work to set up some of his 'experiments' for the next day (it saves him time doing it on Monday and only takes about 20mins) so I waited downstairs in Cafe Kaz (at the Royal Melbourne). The shop that sells newspapers hadn't opened yet so I was forced to 'people-watch' and while gazing around an old man (who could be described as sprightly) was talking to everyone around him, eating a meal and clearing the tables as well. He seemed pretty chatty and before long moved around near me and started talking. He, turns out to be Eddie who comes in once a day for a hot meal because he can't cook much at home anymore. He asked what I do and I said that I work for the Tax Office and he looked at me and said "really, oh I thought you must have been one of those pretty young doctors that get about in here"..I WAS wearing a button up shirt and jeans so I supposed I looked a bit like a doctor in on a Sunday (minus the stethoscope). We got talking and it seems Eddie was knocked off his bike by a car (being driven with no headlights) and woke up three days later in the Royal Melbourne just as they were about to operate on his brain.The way he tells it, he was back riding his bike three days later but comes in for a hot meal and some company everyday anyway. Basically he lost some of his short-term memory so by talking to the staff and the customers he tries to remember names and recall them. I think he did a fantastic job. He might have called me the man's name once during our conversation when I told him why I was here but when the man came to get me when he was done Eddie said "hello the man and bye Jennifer". The man looked a little bit confused as to how this apparently batty old man knew his name but said g'day nonetheless.

It's bit like that episode of 'the simpsons' where Bart's segment on Lisa's tv show is "Bart's People"!! I don't know how many more Jen's people there will be...probably none.

- Jen