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My friend Fred said to me,

"My cancer is in remission. For that I give thanks.

I have macular degeneration and declining hearing.

I have arthritis and I am in pain all of the time. Unless I am drunk or under the influence of painkillers, I am in pain. I go to bed in pain and I wake up in pain. I also have a serious allergy to non steroidable anti inflamatories that cause serious liver damage. My liver damage causes problems with my digestive system.

I have great difficulty in walking and getting in and out of cars. My garden is going to rack and ruin.

I am also an asthmatic. Many days I have great difficulty in breathing or doing anything physical. If I don't exercise, my arthritis gets worse. I know what makes worse my asthma but the solution costs a fortune and it will not be covered by private health insurance or by Mr Howard's Australian government. My 'puffers' are causing my teath to rot. This makes it hard to chew.

I've also had a few mini strokes.

A simple cut or scrape or bruise takes ages to heal. "

One day I said to Fred, "G'Day mate! How are you?"

Fred replied, "I'm feeling good mate. How are you?"

My question is, "What do you expect when you ask someone how they are?"

Take care.

Gordon.

People !

You cant live with them and you cant shoot them. :-2

I don't ask unless I really want to know.

Posts like that make me count my blessings and be thankful for the - so far - rude health of me and mine.

My boss, however, is a medical miracle. He has had heart attacks, bypasses, stents and a stroke which left him blind in one eye and diminishing peripheral vision in the other. He has borderline diabetes. He gets miscellanous disorders periodically. He has a battery of pills to take and a demanding job involving international long-haul travel. He hit 60 in March.

He is the best boss I've ever had. He gets very cross when we try to cosset him and hmphs when we say we just want to preserve him.

And when we ask him how he is, he always says he's fine!!

gordonartist wrote: My question is, "What do you expect when you ask someone how they are?"Gosh you want to be careful with that one, mate - it's a formula, not a question. It goes "How are you?" - "Fine thanks, and you?". Uncoded it translates as "We're both British, I hope?" - "That's right old man, pleased to meet you". This can take place in a trench, on a camel, in Cell 158 Lubyanka, Dzerzhinsky Square, Moscow, anywhere - deviation from the protocol is unthinkable.