DOC CONNOLLY

Dearest Friends,

One of the most critical deciding factors, as to whether we would accept this gig in Sumatra, was medical care. It was one thing to put our own lives at risk (as we did our first time overseas, with no real doctor or hospital anywhere close to us), quite another when it came to our kids. We never would have agreed to the move had not Danny and Peggy assured us that, with Doc Connolly in attendance, we had absolutely no cause for worry. I figured they should know, since their youngest probably had to be stitched up or x-rayed on a regular basis!

Doc Connolly today -- Lord of the Manor

Turns out, they were absolutely right. I think the best way to describe our Doc would be to tell you to picture Doc Martin, if you've ever watched that British TV series -- only picture him better looking, and without the Asperger's. Doc Connolly was not a warm, fuzzy kind of doctor. He was a very British, somewhat brusque fellow, who wasn't about to put up with any nonsense. I must admit to feeling rather intimidated on the few occasions that I had to take my kids to see him. I kept expecting him to whip out a ruler and whack me on the knuckles, if I didn't pay close enough attention to his instructions and had to ask him to repeat something. That was ok though, because the only thing that really mattered was, I'd trust him with our lives -- literally!

Away from work, he could be quite a lot of fun, but that was the problem, I suppose. The poor man was never really away from work! He was on-call 24/7, and since all his friends were also his patients, it was a bit impossible for him to avoid us, and our incessant need for reassurance on this or that little thing.

The cricket party was just too fun, and a chance to see a whole other side of our Doc. He was absolutely crazy about those two boys of his (as was everyone else), and was always in rare form when they were there, on holiday from university. I didn't have a clue what was going on in the cricket match, but enjoyed dressing up all in white, and wearing a big floppy hat. (If only I had some pictures!) The two main things I remember about the party at "The Cricketeer Arms" afterwards were a fabulous tomato-cheese tart made by Mrs. Connolly (would give anything for that recipe), and the sight of everyone gathered 'round the Connolly boys and their chums, as they danced and "strutted" to that Right Said Fred song, I'm Too Sexy. What a hoot!

Sometime later I had to go see Doc Connolly for one thing or another, and he seemed, well, a bit frazzled. Worn out, I guess. So I asked him,"Doc, when are you going to retire to that country manse we've heard so much about. Haven't you had enough of this yet?" "Well, to be perfectly honest, there are two very important things standing between me and retirement. Perhaps you met them when they were here recently?"