I was visiting a good friend at the Ottawa Civic Hospital today. My friend was supposed to go into surgery three days after mine, but the way things have turned out, his surgery went on as planned, and he ended up jumping in front of me.
Mr. H’s surgery was the repair of an aneurism deep inside his body. In fact, his surgery was considered considerably of a higher risk than mine, so I was elated to see him up and at it, so to speak. He is two decades older than I and has an abundance of spiritual strength. He looked a bit frail and tired today, but still had his wry sense of humour. I jokingly (well, I tired to make it sound jokingly) told him that I did not want to see any scars and that worked until his friend Archie came in. Archie had similar surgery a while ago and wanted to see the scar , and well I was there and saw part of it anyway. I guess I am ready for my scar now.

This was my first visit to the general floor of a hospital in Ottawa in a few years – busy place. The nurse cheerfully told me that cell phones, BlackBerrys, iPods and even laptops are allowed in your room once you are a resident. I did not know that. The hospital is a hectic place – I am not trusting of having my company owned laptop there and I doubt that I would want access to the Company Network, or the Internet, or even my Blog ( the world will just have to live without it for a few days) . I am not sure that I would put the BlackBerry in the class of essential either. And (the non trusting side of me is emerging) I decided to purchase a cheap (sub $15 with taxes) MP3 player and leave the iPod at home.

My first thought was to on it, my long possessed, but not listened to yet CD of Moby Dick - all 21 hours , but I decided that , that would be enough for my relatively normal mind , never mind one in bypass self pity mode, so here is what I ripped to put on the $15 MP3/

1. The Essential Bruce Springsteen – Album 1
2. Meat Loaf – Bat Out of Hell
3. Elina Garanca – Bel Canto
4. Charlie Haden / Hank Jones – Steal Away
5. A Winter’s Solstice - Various Artists (New Age)
6. Andréa Bocelli - Romanza
7. Soundtrack to Philadelphia - Various Artists
8. The Greatest Musicals - Various Artists
9. The Bridges of Cape Breton (Fiddle and Fancy Steppin’ Music)
10. Cosmos – PA UN PAR

I figure the above will be enough in the simple, song at a time, no showing of the title, no shuffle mode of my little player. It will be like a giant Eight Track. Note 1 to Self – I just tried the thing. Steve Jobs is not going to lose sleep over $15 MP3 putting a dint in Apple or anyone else. Maybe I should have tried to find an Eight Track – but hey this MP3 will add to the fun. Note 2 to self – find one of your cheap (like $15 headsets or earbuds) – the ones included in the $15 for all bundle are real bad.

I also have to decide if I want to rent a TV or not. I think that TV would only add to my malaise but on the other hand maybe Jerry Springer is good for the soul. Maybe …..

The downstairs of the Civic Hospital is like a small shopping mall. Flower Shop, Book Store, Drug Store, Second Cup Coffee Shop, Greeting Card Shop - there is nothing wrong with that I know, and yet I found those commercial operations made me feel uncomfortable. Maybe it is like hawkers selling in the shadow of a shrine.

I think that overall I am becoming grumpy about things. I know that the surgery was delayed for good reasons (the reasons were good .. right?) but it is frustrating. I made a loan to American Express as somehow, last cycle I paid my bill twice on line. It is nice for once to have a credit with a Credit Card Company but I would rather have the money than them. It is just that the delays and worries and fears are eating away at me. It is not like the voracious devouring of flesh by a pack of rapid wolves. It is more of the nibbling of a cute little chipmunk on a pile of peanuts. Nibble, nibble, cute , cute, and then you see the little bastard’s cheeks and you see that he has half the bag in his mouth. Woe is me!! I am being consumed by a chipmunk!!!

Take a breath, rub the beagle’s snout, carry the black cat around the house …. Whew, take another breath. There , I am fine. I have my serenity back. Today, the mayor of yet another Ottawa Valley town expressed his concern for me (and I don’t even pay taxes to that town). I certainly owe AMEX no money. I have an MP3 player that anybody can steal without regret on my part. I had a very good visit at the hospital today. (Mr. H had been better telling the truth about the low level of pain he was having)

Mr. H and his friend Archie are two tough dudes by the way. I was not fit to be in the same room as them, but they did not seem to mind. Those two guys really know how to trudge the road that we share and it is good to be able to follow them.