THE LUNATIC, GUN-TOTING SURGEON

 

At one time, he was a cardiothoracic surgeon at the hospital where I worked until my retirement almost two years ago.  We met at a Seattle coffee shop a month after my retirement.  He practiced at my hospital before I started working there, so I never knew him.  However, we know the same people, and there's a level of comfort when you meet someone who with friends in common.

 

We went out a few times, but he was a bit conflicted about a woman he was dating off and on.  I figured one can't have enough friends.  Besides, I was new to the area and needed to make new friends.  It was a tough adjustment to leave close friends whom I had known for many years, travel across the country, and live in a completely different environment (think months of no sun and constant drizzle).  My Dad died shortly after we met, and the circumstances surrounding his death were difficult for me to come to grips with.  Additionally, driving in Seattle was almost impossible due to horrible traffic jams and my poor eyesight due to cataracts that would be removed four months later.

 

We spent hours talking on the phone when we weren’t meeting for lunch or dinner. It took a little while to realize we were on opposite ends of the political spectrum, but Trump had yet to be elected, so his conservatism wasn't a significant concern of mine.  We agreed not to discuss politics because of our differences.  We seemed to like everything else about each other.  I enjoyed his intelligence and thought there might be something more after he 'got over' the situation with the current woman in his life.  Regardless, we could at least be friends.

 

His son was a bigwig for Microsoft.  To give a hint, he lived on the same island near Seattle where Bill Gates lives.  He convinced his father to close his practice in Minnesota and live with him in Seattle.  After all, he had a dock that could accommodate his father's large sailing yacht and power motor yacht.  And... his father could live in the 3000 square foot cottage on his property.

 

Yet, he still wanted to do surgery.  Two rural hospitals in Minnesota hired him to work in their respective hospitals for ten days out of the month.  His compensation was close to what he received working full-time with a practice.  Now, he wouldn't have to worry about the overhead associated with having a practice.  And... they paid all his expenses for travel and lodging while there.  It was a sweet deal. 

 

He had just built a large cabin in the mountains several hours out of Seattle.  It had already snowed a few feet in November when he asked me if I wanted to spend a few days with him in his cabin.  Paddy was also invited.  He brought his golden retriever.  He assured me that I could have a separate bedroom and that there were no expectations regarding intimacy.

 

His lovely cabin was surrounded by snow and nestled amongst trees and mountains.  A runway for private planes was between his house and the nearest mountain.  We spent a few hours shoveling snow to make pathways around the cabin while our dogs frolicked in the snow.  I could almost see a huge grin on Paddy’s face as he ran through the snow, which was almost over his head. This was a new experience for a dog who spent his first four years in South Florida.

 

There was no cellular service, but that didn't bother me initially. We soon settled into a comfortable and amiable routine, highlighted by snowshoeing in the National Forest a few steps from his front door.  I didn’t think much at the time about the gun he carried while we snowshoed, as his excuse was a defense should we encounter a bear.

 

It was odd that he spooned with his dog while sleeping.  I could hear him whispering to his dog throughout the night. Odd. Now, I love my dog, too, but...come on!

The other hint I should have noticed was that Fox News was constantly on. It’s my experience that people glued to Fox News are usually brainwashed. You can spot it by their weird conspiracy theories and lack of critical thinking before they offer an opinion, as their 'opinion' is usually an echo of a Fox talking head. I should have followed my instincts that he was beyond odd and stopped excusing his bizarre behavior with his (female) dog. One should remember to trust what their gut is telling them.

 

Two nights later, things began to change after he had a few scotches.  Suddenly, he looked at me and said, "We will never have a relationship because of your liberal views.  You're the reason Obama was elected.  The country has gone downhill because of him."  I was shocked into silence because of his words and the sheer hatefulness seething from his mouth.   Plus, we had not been talking about politics.  This just came out of thin air.  He continued, "They are coming over the mountains because Obama let them into this country.  I am ready for them.  I have lots of guns, and I will defend myself."  I realized I was in the presence of a drunken, paranoid lunatic.  This wasn't the first time I was blamed for everything that was wrong with this country, but it was the first time I was alone with a paranoid who had guns. We were in the middle of nowhere without a way for me to escape and no means of contacting anyone.  For the first time in my life, I kept my mouth shut.  He said, "I used to get $10,000 every time I did a carotid endarterectomy. Now, I'm lucky to get $700. And it's because of liberals like you that I don't make the millions I should be making.  My son, who only has a master's degree, makes millions every year. I'm a SURGEON and don't make anything close to his salary."  Well...I wanted to tell him that insurance companies and Medicare began reducing reimbursement to hospitals, doctors, and other healthcare entities long before President Obama was elected. I was dealing with a lunatic who had a stash of guns, so I did not open my mouth.

 

As soon as he took a breath, I excused myself and went to bed after locking my door.  The next day, we made the long ride back to Seattle without saying much to each other.  I wanted to kiss the ground of the parking lot when he let me off at my apartment.

 

I'm no longer surprised when someone with guns decides to kill a bunch of people.  No one is immune to mental illness.  It isn't much of a leap from thinking people of a particular group are out to get you to then deciding to slaughter as many people as possible.  Maybe one day, we will pass and enforce laws prohibiting the mentally ill from obtaining guns. Perhaps the sellers of firearms will have to take courses to learn how to detect mental illness before being allowed to sell them.

 

And... if you hear about a surgeon in Seattle targeting Muslims in a mosque, you'll have an idea who he is.