Instant Operations

My friend Linda had a little surgery yesterday. This morning I called to check on her, and to my surprise, she answered the phone.

“Linda,” I said, “Is that you? I didn’t expect you to answer. Where’s John?”

“Oh, he’s gone to pick the kids up from his mama’s. It’s okay. I’m on the couch and the portable phone was right here beside me. Besides, you can’t keep a good horse down.”

I laughed. Linda didn’t. “No rest for the weary around here,” she said. “I swanee, Shellie, I had really planned to milk this situation a little. You know, maybe even a full day in the hospital, but no…”

“What happened to your plans?” I asked.
Linda said her doctor happened. “For starters,” she grumbled, “he’s not dry behind the ears, good. He can’t be more than twelve or thirteen at the most.”
“Now Linda,” I said, laughing.

“Okay, maybe he’s a little older than that, but not much,” Linda said. “The point is, he’s
young, way too young, and cocky beyond belief. The good doctor’s all about getting his patients up and about as fast as possible. Heck, girl. I didn’t even stay overnight. I went in as an outpatient yesterday morning. When the doctor came by he told John that he’d have me on my feet half an hour after surgery. And then he said that within an hour he’d have me walking around the room, and an hour after that, John could take me home! John just looked at him like he was crazy.”

“What’d you say?” I asked. “I know you said something.”
“You’re darn tooting,” Linda said. “I asked him if it would be okay for me to lay down for the operation?!”