Firestone Chats

Early Valentine's morning I took a tow truck to the Firestone on N Druid Hills.  The television, always too loud, played continuous local news for two hours.  The periodicals were all well arranged and the chairs mostly empty.  The service was fast.  The perks of a morning visit were clear.

Waiting for his vehicle was a pathologist from Emory hospital.  When the television news shared a story on a man who died under observation in the sleep clinic it elicited a strong response.   As he put it, "I don't like them sullying the name of the university."  To him the situation was clear: "I mean, he's 300 lbs, it's his own fault."  Not that he's not sympathetic.  He knew the fellow doctor who performed the autopsy.  He had warned him not to talk to the family; "that's how you get sued."  Evidently no one should see anyone without risk management.  He didn't think the family should sue "when it's all on emotion, not science."  He himself became a pathologist after doing rounds in medical school.  "People are nice, but they're not very nice when they're sick."  Their families are even worse.  He likes his job now, he doesn't have patients at all, but people drive too slow in Atlanta. 

The television news also informed me that in Forsyth county they're putting cell phone towers on school campuses.  Concerns?  Radiation, appearance.  As the city council member shared: "We haven't met anyone who is in favor of it--but people realize we have a budget problem."

The question of the day at the Firestone: are you ready for more snow?

Behind the counter were a number of gentlemen and one dependent.   No one likes working Sunday mornings, much less on Valentine's Day, but they all like having jobs.  "It's worth it."