This little piece of prose could have been titled New  Acquaintance or Is He Hard of Hearing?   Instead I decided the title should be the last sentence.

I am sitting in the lab at Valley Medical Center waiting to be called for a blood test. As I was driving to the lab I was thinking of my late wife.  The male person I am sitting next to starts a conversation with me.

New Acquaintance: I can’t believe they cancelled The Good Wife. They always screw us.

Me: My wife passed away a few months ago.  I really……..(he interrupts me before I can say anything else).

New Acquaintance:  What show do you like to watch?  You look like a Big Bang Theory nerd.  This weather sucks, don’t it?

Me: I miss her.  There was no one else like her.  I …………………(interruption, again).

New Acquaintance:  I’m here for my new job.  Marijuana test.  I should be okay.  I stopped smoking weed two weeks ago cause I knew I would be taking this test.  I’m always one step ahead of em.

Me: Do you want to see a picture of her?  I have one with me.  She was beautiful.

New Acquaintance: You look like you’re here for a cholesterol test.  You got a little pouch there.  Is your gut hanging over your belt?  I ‘m 5:09 and I weigh 260 lbs, all muscle. Come on take a punch at my stomach.  You won’t hurt me.

Me: I was thinking about doing that even before you asked me to.

New Acquaintance: My neighbors cat ran out of their front door yesterday just as a truck was coming down the street.  Little Fluffy got splattered all over the road.  I never seen anything like it, horrible, just horrible.  (He waits one second,  then he says to me) Don’t you got any feelings, any sympathy?  What’s wrong with you?

Me: (The lab people call me to go in for the test.  I take two steps towards the lab, turn around,  and say to him:} Bleep you and bleep the bleeping cat!