1984-tissimo

Getting ready for another foot surgery Wednesday, I was telling a nurse my name, medical history & conditions, allergies & prescriptions for the umpteenth time. I bet I told 3 or 4 nurses plus my anesthesiologist the same facts. They were very thorough. One nurse asked if I was related to the the author, George Orwell. I said not everybody was as well-read as she, so I just tell people (especially in medical offices) it's "Orwell, as in 'Are you sick OR WELL?'" We talked about my having changed my last name when my father died and bemoaned how few books the younger generation reads. She told me about being on a plane, rereading "Brave New World", when a teen asked her what it was about. "Is it a book about ecology?" he asked. I suppose we should give him credit for having the curiosity to ask. I told her, "Yep, it's another 'Silent Spring.'" I guess Uncle George and Aldous Huxley are no longer relevant.