Paging Dr. Bovary, Part Deux
May 29, 2008It’s official, bar none, Dr. Bovary has got to be the worst literary doctor of all time. I know we had this out in an early part of our conversation about this book, where we jokingly compared the medical inadequacies of Dr. Bovary vs. Dr. Slop our old friend from The Life and Opinions of…well, you know who. But it now appears that there is no contest.
Knowing you as I do, Twin Brother, you will not take this on face value, and demand me to site my sources so let me just stop you right there. I’ve done my homework on this one. So here goes:
How is this little nugget from the efforts of Flaubert’s medical marvel:
Upon learning that his wife is coughing up blood he willing attributes this symptom to too much reading, once the idea is suggested to him by his mother. (I have to admit as I was reading this page, I did feel a slight tickle in my throat and had the brief thought “Sweet Jesus, it’s true.” Luckily my cough ended up being a phlegmer rather than a bleeder.)
What’s next a sore throat caused by too much piano playing? Diarrhea from writing too much?
Magnificent diagnosis doctor. Bravo.
I could litter this post with other examples, but I am anxious to get back to book and see what hi-jinks the man from Huchette might be up to, and this being far from a high quality post, I feel it best to nip it in the bud, right about now…
Until I’ve read more and rediscovered my ability to write,
Justin
A few brief comments about the posts lately:
1. Justin’s commentary about the recent move (particularly the “I have to become acquainted with the space” line) had me laughing out loud in my apartment. Loud, obnoxious, laughing out loud.
2. Anytime I hear (or, in this case, see) the line “Sweet Jesus” from Justin, I immediately think of him attempting to “save” Rebecca from the bird at the aviary. I believe a “Sweet Jesus” was uttered as he threw himself at her.
3. I could definitely see the 2 of you break out into a Vaudeville routine.
The blog is hilarious (and, in some ways, educational–I have learned never to waste time reading The Life and Opinions…). Keep it up!
How you got Justin into an aviary, I’ll never fathom, but thank you for sharing this memory because Justin never took the time to share it with me and it is mightily hilarious.
One point that often gets lost in the “Justin in the Aviary” story is the fact that I saved Rebecca’s life in that aviary. That bird was huge, scary, and flying right at us.
Yes, that point often gets lost amidst me screaming and hitting the deck.
Jon, I recommend you ask for a re-telling of this aviary story the next time you see Rebecca. I have heard it many times but still fall over laughing as she re-enacts Justin “saving her life”.