In Good Company

This morning, I had an MRI of my right ankle. It's been injured (fractured/sprained) on several occasions . . . and over the last few months has been giving me a lot of trouble with pain and swelling. X-Rays were negative. A custom AFO (not cheap/not covered by insurance) that I sleep in (to keep the ligament stretched) has helped a little bit but not a whole lot. We're making sure there's nothing else wrong.

Anyway, while waiting to be ushered into the inner magnetic sanctum (the scan made my toes tingle), I happened upon an AARP magazine (July & August 2008) with an article featuring Martin Sheen. I picked it up and could not put it down.

While I don't agree (at all) with his politics, I love me some Martin Sheen - especially when he is channeling Kennedys (ala President Josiah Bartlet on West Wing . . . my West Wing addiction is recounted here, here, and here). In fact, I first became aware of Sheen when I was still a youngster . . . when he starred as Bobby Kennedy in "The Missiles of October", a 1974 TV docudrama on the 1962 Cuban Missile Crisis. I was riveted to the screen (yes, I was a geek).

The man is gifted. Gifted. I could watch him read the phone book.

While I admire him as an actor, I admire Sheen as a Father even more. As the AARP article recounts, Sheen really went the extra "tough love" mile for his son, Charlie Sheen (now the star of "Two and A Half Men" on CBS) when Charlie was addicted to drugs. Martin went so far as to report his son to the authorities when he violated probation.

Charlie later credited his Father with saving his life. Martin says Charlie saved Charlie. There is truth in both points of view.

I love to watch Charlie on "Two & A Half" these days . . . especially when "Uncle Charlie" is bantering with his young nephew "Jake" (Angus T Jones) . . . because it's (1) usually clever and/or hysterical, and (2) crystal clear this is a man back from the brink having loads of fun . . . amazed that he is getting paid to do what he clearly loves to do.

Every episode Charlie puts in the can is a tribute to the Father who did not give up on him.

The article also talks about Sheen's deep (Catholic) faith and his political activism (he's been arrested nearly 70 times for non-violent protests). Like I said, I don't agree with his (left-of-left politics), and a couple of times he's made me pretty damned mad - but I very much respect Martin Sheen for standing up for what he believes.

One quote stood out from the rest for me - especially after getting a nasty comment two days ago on my "Death of Pediatrics" post (in which I poured my guts out about what is wrong with my profession - using my own experience as the touchstone) . . .

. . . "You are completely mental".

Instead of deleting the comment (when someone says something like that it always affects me very viscerally), I posted it and responded on the thread.

I despise tactics/stunts like that. Apart from bad form, it's cruel and it's cowardly.

Anyway, the quote on the magazine cover - right beside Martin Sheen's photo is as follows . . .

. . . "Nothing ever gets done unless it's done by a fanatic".

Truer words were never spoken. And I guess I really am in good company.

OBTW, according to the AARP article, Sheen and I share an irrational fear of flying. He prays The Rosary. I mix Bailey's and coffee before take-off.

Just call me "mental".