The Old Coot gives fair
warning.
By Merlin Lessler
I’m writing this while
wearing a white lab coat. I picked it up a yard sale a few years back thinking
it might come in handy someday. And it did. Keep that image in mind as you read
on. As we’ve been programmed to think, from watching TV commercials, people in
lab coats are the most credible people alive. The sellers of drugs, medical
devices, weight reduction plans and the like know that their credibility goes
way up when the actor making the pitch is wearing a lab coat, especially when
there is a stethoscope around their neck. It makes it much easier to peddle the
swamp-root and snake oil they are pitching.
First we get the lab coat
routine; then we get to see the results. Happy, smiling beautiful people who
are laughing, dancing, swimming, sailing, hiking or just prancing around with a
blissful look on their faces and a well-groomed golden retriever at their side.
Beautiful music plays in the background as the happy people cavort and a sweet
voice lists the side effects, the horrible side effects, that may come our way
if we use the snake oil.
Those warnings go right
over our heads; none of the people in the ads seem to have any side effects. I
guess we won’t either, so we put aside our skepticism. We totally forget the advice
we were taught growing up: if something sounds too good to be true; it is.
I apologize for writing this in my lab coat,
but it’s the only way I might have enough credibility to get my message across.
Unchained melodies is playing in the background, to accompany my typing. Can’t you just hear it? Life is wonderful.
Just buy my book, “Mystery on South Mountain,” available on Amazon Kindle, and
read away. There will be no side effects, except for the withdrawal from your
wallet of $2.99.
Comments? Complaints? Send
to mlessler7@gmail.com
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