Thursday, January 17, 2008

Speech test "METHODIST-EPISCOPAL"

One day Dr. Paysinger, when making his post-operative rounds at the hospital, came in my room and asked me if I could say ''Methodist-Episcopal''. I, being a Methodist and not able to hear very well with the bulky dressing over my ears, couldn't: figure out what he was saying. Being unable to ask, I thought maybe he was just joking around with me. I tried to cover up my bewilderment by kind of laughing, but was not really understanding why he was saying anything about my being a Methodist....... or, for that matter, why he was saying anything about Episcopal.

Then several days later he came in my room again and asked if I could say ''Methodist-Episcopal'' yet. I, knowing he knew full well I couldn't say it, thought he was just teasing me again. So once again I tried to cover up by kind of laughing and just smiling as if I knew what was going on.
Months later I learned from Eleanor much to my embarrassment and chagrin, that ''Methodist-Episcopal is a test used to check a patient s ability to speak. So that was why Dr. Paysinger kept asking me if I could say it! I felt so foolish then, the way I had responded to Dr. Paysinger. I reckon if you can speak well enough to say ''Methodist-Episcopal'' you can say about anything.

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