The greatest part of this whole experience, I mean apart from the fact of watching Tom emerge from surgery looking strong enough to rip the ears off a gundark, was watching Tom try to engage his really cool and hip PA, John, in a conversation about Star Trek during the pre-op . Yes, folks. That really happened. I can’t believe you skipped that part, Tom, and I’m sick about the fact that I couldn’t find a way to stream that conversation.
John the PA was this tall, super-hip dude who came in to Tom’s little pre-op staging area and upon seeing Tom exclaimed, “You!” They exchanged pleasantries since apparently John had been there during the prep appointment a couple days earlier. Tom introduced him to me (a manly handshake ensued) and John went about talking Tom through the particulars of what was about to happen. For the impossible-to-number-time he asked if Tom was allergic to any medication. A nurse offscreen (that is to say, somewhere over at the desk station/bridge) asked John a question about something or other I cannot remember. John replied, “Negative, Ghost Rider.”
Without thinking I said, “The pattern is full.”
I’m sorry. I could not help it. It’s like a weird nerd call-and-response.
Without looking up from Tom’s charts John smiled slightly and said, “Thanks for finishing that.”
And we were off to the races.
John went through the rest of the chart stuff, and answered some of my weird questions about medications and whatnot. Then he went off to make some printouts of the medication particulars. He came back and told Tom more of what to expect. There was a brief lull and Tom said, I shit you not, “So John. What movies have you seen recently?” John leaned down on that rolling thing they use for feeding patients and writing upon and it suddenly became a lectern, and somehow, I cannot remember how, this became a protracted discussion about Star Trek. Star Trek! With Tom! Chick! I’m not quite sure how this happened, but early on in the conversation, because I had been considering a favorite piece of music from Wrath of Khan for the last 3x3 and like a total goofball admitted this to him late after recording the movie podcast, Tom asked John if he could name the nebula where Kirk (in the Enterprise) and Khan (in the Reliant) battled. Without hesitation John said, “The Kutara Nebula.”
I thought that was pretty cool. He was so close. It was so one of those shave-and-a-haircut moments for me not to correct him. But he’s the Physician’s Assistant for Tom’s surgeon! He’s forgotten more footnotes than body text I’ll ever know! So I just kind of clamped down and told myself to STFU.
After a couple moments he looked to me to be sure. “Kutara Nebula?”
“Well, it’s the Mutara Nebula. I love that piece of music so much.”
“I know!”
The conversation went on from there, Tom doing his lame, “Wait. Is Undiscovered Country the one where they find God?” and “Which one is the one where the pig farmer from Babe invents the warp drive?” silliness to keep the conversation going, all the while rolling his eyes and enjoying us geeking out over Star Trek, which honestly, I don’t know that well outside the movies, to pass the time. I have to say, it was glorious. And another example of how great Tom is at interview, moderating, and just conversation in general. Here is this PA, who has a ton of stuff to do, and he is hooked into a conversation about Star Trek with the two of us because Tom engaged.
Best thing about the day. I mean except for that moment when he was wheeled out from surgery and I knew just from looking at him the hospital wheelchair was truly just a formality. That realization is the best thing ever, and passed on to you all as way of objectively confirming that things are looking good.
Now please excuse me while I try to get back up to speed on Ascension. Dang it.
-xtien