What Year Is It?

I had to set up a doctor’s appointment today because I could hardly hear out of either ear. The nurse asked me a bunch of questions and then asked, “What year is it?”

This, I thought, was a really strange question. I asked her to repeat herself.

“What year is it?” she asked again.

I was so confused. Was she quizzing me on whether I would say 2015? Was she going through some kind of concussion testing protocol? Was it the start of some kind of joke? I could not figure it out!

Finally, I repeated the question back to her: “What year is it?” in a tone like, “Why are you asking me this question?!”

Then she said, “No, what EAR is it? Must be the one you have up to the phone.”

Originally shared on Facebook, January 2016.

Category: Musings