The physical therapist’s office has become my new favorite place to study the social behaviors of people. You see, I like to study people - what they do, what they say…and try to figure out their motivations behind what they do and what they say.

For example, on the table next to me today while I was getting my neuro treatment, was one Ms. Chatty McChatty. She’s the one you pray you won’t get stuck next to on an airplane, because not only is she curious about everything going on in your life, she’s so super fabulous herself that she assumes you want to know everything going on in her life!

I usually can avoid folks like Chatty McChatty by simply keeping my eyes closed - after all, we’re in a place for healing and I can’t heal with some stranger yammering in my ear about how she’s grateful her 93-year old mother lives only 20 minutes away, since Mama is getting old and can’t take care of herself.

I made the grave error though, of opening my eyes and inadvertently making eye contact with McC. Immediately she asked, “What are you in for?” Like we’re in the county jail…shackled up and tied down for involuntary shock therapy. Since it wasn’t really any of her business how I hurt my knee, I just pointed at my knee with all of the electrodes attached and said, “My knee.” Well. McC hurt both her ankle and her shoulder and she’s trying to get in to PT as many times as possible this week blah blah blah because she starts a new job next Tuesday and can’t come as often blah blah new insurance blah blah blah.

This behavior isn’t limited to just the patients, either! No sireebob. Last week, I had the misfortune of being stuck with a tech whose tooth hurt. Aww…that sucks, right? Well. Turns out that she went to the dentist the day before and found out she needed a root canal before the dentist can put her new bridge in. Aww…that sucks, right? Well. I guess her dentist was a little persnickety during her after-lunch appointment, and she was cranky because whatever had happened to him earlier, he seemed to be taking out on her. So what does she do? She spends 15 minutes (while I’m on my weight machines and doing my PT obstacle course) telling me how annoying it is to work with a grumpy and unprofessional health care worker. Really. You don’t say. I did finally have to halt her conversation, telling her I kept losing count of my reps while trying to listen to her.

So…ironically…I now share this with you. Ha ha. Agony…pass it on!

Then…there’s the tech who looks like he’s about twelve. Seriously - he’s a young one. Turns out, he’s not so young where he hasn’t engaged in the pleasures of the flesh, because his equally-young girlfriend is due to give birth to an equally-younger baby this weekend. One mention of that, and all other women in the facility start chiming in with their labor and delivery stories…in unassumingly graphic detail.

Oh yeah, my knee is feeling better. Still a ways to go…but, baby steps. Oops…better not say that too loud or when I go back in on Friday, everyone will start talking about walking toddlers. {wink}