Bookraft

In the just previous review of the book Collapse by Jared Diamond I have been citing the inability of the current North American generations, after 100 years of economic expansion and dominance, to cope with bad news. Especially the bad news that they will have to curb and cut back on their energy and environmentally profligate ways. Nobody wants to ask the tough questions or hear/bear the bad news. Well the Doctors at the Hopital and Spa St. Joes in Toronto and the Appliance Doctor of Bridgenorth, Ontario taught me a lesson in being willing to hear/cope with bad news.

St Joseph's Hospital

At St. Joes Spa I went to get a some Kidney Stones removed; but instead got confronted with "acute appendicitis" on the day of my scheduled stone removal operation. Assured by an internist that I would be operated on between 3:30 and 5:ooPM, I awaited my operation in pain but with hope that my appendectomy would be dealt with effectively. But at 6:00PM, when nobody had come to pick me up - I asked the nurse what was up. She assured me that after a foot surgery I would follow - and besides I had an antibiotic drip to control the appendix. At 7:30, I trudged down to the desk and this time asked the internist when I would go up for my operation . Well there was a knee surgery and I was on the schedule. When I noted that both my father and Uncle had late appendicitis both of which burst, I could tell the internist did not like my questioning their schedule.

Well to make a long story short at 8:30 my appendix burst with spectacular pain and at 9:30 they finally came to take me up for my operation - which as I type I can testify that I survived. But all during my stay at St Joseph's I found myself backing away from asking the tough questions either because the staff warded it off or I did not want to hear that possible bad news. Not good and I resolved to do better - much better.

The Appliance Doctor of Bridgenorth ON

So in the spirit of bearing bad news, I have been following up throughout my recovery with asking the tough questions - and seeing what my major options are - and it has helped, somewhat. But in getting my Maytag washing machine repaired for a water leak I found myself slipping back into old bad practices. I got the Appliance Doctor to come on a Friday evening - and we appeared to be able to diagnose the problem pretty quickly. Now what I wanted to do was ask before he made the repairs what my cost options were on fixing the machine. But when he said he had come all the way from Bridgenorth but had brought all the right parts I demurred. So then we proceeded to do a post installation test. But at that moment I got a call and did not get to see the full test. By the time I got back and asked if the test had gone okay, the Appliance Doctor assured me it had and finished closing up the washer. $276 dollars later, we parted with me joking that I did not want "to see you later".

2 days later I did the wash and there was water all over the floor again. When I called the Appliance Doctor, he said he was surprised but he would come over. But this time I asked what would be the likely cost of doing the repair. Well the Appliance Doctor could or would not say - "I will have to come over and take a look". I deferred and said I would have to schedule the repair after I got back from a trip to Toronto and more tests at St Josephs. Now I know I should get the good Appliance Doctor to come over and tell me the bad news - and tell me how much the additional repair will cost. But I am not inclined to call him in for the second time - I just expect bad news.

The Lesson

Both of these incidents have taught me how much we are not willing to hear/bear personal bad news. Not Bad news in general - but bad news that is going to personally effect me and or my family/friends. It is dysfunctionally Cassandrian but it also appears to be very strong. So much so that the stories from Collapse now ring more compellingly true.