Yo'Doc Responds!

We'd like to answer ALL your letters

From time to time readers send in medically oriented suggestions, questions, or little items to stimulate our interest.

If appropriate, on a family web site, we record them here, and in response offer our comments. (Editor's Note: Since this space belongs to our native healer and consultant, Yo'Doc, it's up to him to make the effort this week. So far, he seems agreeable. We'll see how it comes out.)

From Carol C, in Wilmington, DE: In a recent column on exercise, you had the audacity to suggest that fat in certain locations couldn't be removed by exercising that part of you. I guess your lack of knowledge in this area of expertise proves the adage, "Once a fat-head, always a fat-head." Ha ha ha!

Yo': I didn't write that one, but I can assure you that the guy who did has a really thin head. In Spanish, we call him, "Flaquito." (Look it up.)

From Jerry in Tucson: I've been looking all over for those AZcountrydoc tee shirts you said were going to be on sale. What happened? Will I ever be able to "wear the colors" as we used to say in the United States Coast Guard?

Yo': You were actually IN the Coast Guard? Wow, that's heavy! Oh, about the tees- well, they're still in the process of design, you know, lots of picky little things, like who gets to decide on the logo and the colors for the lettering. So far, the best ideas have come from one of our staff members with Thrift Shop connections. We buy up all their old tee-shirt stock, bleach 'em, and write over the old designs with marking pens. (You can get lots of colors now.) You may think it's tacky to do that - we believe it's simply thrifty. Better not hold your breath , though. Lots of slips twixt the dock and the ship! (Little nautical humor there, Jer old buddy.)

From Agnes T., who describes herself as a "long time reader": I just love that fellow Yo'Doctor, or whatever you call him. Is he as good looking as they say? Is he already spoken for? I make a mean rutabaga torte, and I'll just bet I could turn his head with it.

Yo': Hmm, Agnes, is a "long time reader" a tall person with a news magazine fetish? Too bad for you, I am indeed bespoke. Nothing has come of it yet, but my parents set me up with a girl from a neighboring village when I was but a stripling. Problem is, we can't seem to make the connection. Floods, bad weather, you name it, seems to keep us apart. So far, we've managed to be faithful through the 60-odd years of our engagement. Well, at least I have been faithful. Now that I think about it, I don't think she's been faithful at all! Oh, and another thing. You can lose the rutabaga torte. The only way it would make my head turn is away. Love ya, babe!

Finally, from T. Kennedy, Washington, DC: Never in my long and dedicated life as a public servant have I been so vilified by such an insignificant bunch of nattering pip-squeaks such as can be found crowding your Neanderthalish editorial staff. I didn't have this much tripe thrown at me from Spiro Agnew or Dan Quayle. Are you some kind of a Rush Limbaugh wannabe, or just a dumb Republican?

Yo': Actually, Tubby (oops, lost my "e' and "d" for a minute), I'm neither. Unlike yourself, I have occasionally been known to think before speaking on subjects not in my sphere of knowledge. (I suspect your "sphere" is about the size of a seedless grape, by the way.) Here's a suggestion: why don't you try to sound like its not your money you're giving away from your perch in that zoo on the Potomac?

(Editor's Note Number Two: We don't know where Yo' gets his attitude, and hereby disclaim all responsibility for the results thereof, including propagation of insulting material, should it ever reach the eyes of the victim. PARTICULARLY if it should ever reach the eyes of the victim!)