>> MARK: SPRING AGAIN.

TIME FOR ME TO GO TO THE DOCTOR.

THIS SHOULDN'T BE A SURPRISE.

BARBERS NEED HAIRCUTS.

POLITICIANS VOTE.

LAWYERS CAN GET SUED.

AND DOCTORS HAVE TO GO TO THE DOCTOR.

I USUALLY THINK ABOUT MAKING AN APPOINTMENT EVERY JANUARY, THEN PUT OFF DOING ANYTHING UNTIL APRIL.

BY THEN I MIGHT BE ABLE TO GET AN APPOINTMENT IN SEPTEMBER, BUT I HAVE TO TELL THEM IT'S A BACK-TO-SCHOOL PHYSICAL.

LOTS OF PEOPLE HATE GOING TO THE DOCTOR, BUT I LOVE IT.

OF COURSE, I WORKED IN THAT SAME BUILDING FOR 35 YEARS.

I GET FREE PARKING.

WELL, EVERYONE GETS FREE PARKING.

BUT I KNOW WHERE ALL THE SNACKS ARE, WHICH WAS GREAT BECAUSE I USUALLY GOT HOME WAY AFTER DARK.

MY DOCTOR IS GREAT.

WE WORKED TOGETHER FOR DECADES.

I ALWAYS CALLED HIM "TOM," BUT NOW THAT I'M RETIRED, I'M ALWAYS CAREFUL TO CALL HIM, "TOM."

HE'S A GREAT DOCTOR, MUCH SMARTER THAN ME.

ALTHOUGH IN OUR CLINIC, I ALWAYS FIGURED YOU COULD THROW A BEDPAN BLINDFOLDED AND HIT A DOCTOR SMARTER THAN ME.

SO I TELL HIM HOW I'M FEELING -- FINE -- AND HE CHECKS ME OVER.

AFTERWARDS WE HAVE A PROFESSIONAL DOCTOR-TO-DOCTOR CONSULTATION, WHERE HE TELLS ME WHAT TESTS AND MEDICINES I NEED, AND I TELL HIM "OKAY."

IT'S A LOT LIKE HAVING MY TAXES DONE.

BECAUSE EVEN THOUGH I KNOW STUFF ABOUT MEDICINE, I DON'T KNOW WHAT IS BEST FOR MYSELF.

ONLY TOM -- AND MY WIFE -- KNOW THAT.

AFTERWARD I WALK AROUND THE CLINIC, SEE IF ANY OF MY PARTNERS STILL WORK THERE.

LOTS OF THEM HAVE MOVED ON, AND APPARENTLY HAVE BEEN REPLACED BY A BUNCH OF GRADE-SCHOOL KIDS.

THE DOCTORS I HELPED TRAIN ARE NOW TRAINING FRESH ONES.

EVENTUALLY THEY WILL REPLACE ALL THE PEOPLE I EVER WORKED WITH, AND I SUPPOSE ALL THE PEOPLE I EVER TOOK CARE OF.

THAT'S ACTUALLY THE BEST-CASE SCENARIO: PATIENTS AND DOCTORS ALL GETTING OLD TOGETHER.

SO BY THEN I'M GOOD FOR ANOTHER YEAR.

I GET IN MY CAR AND HEAD BACK HOME, JUST LIKE I DID FOR DECADES.

THE ONLY DIFFERENCE NOW IS THAT WHEN I LEAVE THE OFFICE, IT'S STILL LIGHT OUT.