amtrak livin'

Today on the train I was sitting across form a 11 year old kid and a college student. From where I was eavesdropping, I couldn't help but overhear part of their conversation. Apparently the college student was studying acupuncture, and upon hearing his neighbors field of study, the 11 year old kid's eyes lit up.

"Acupuncture?!"

"Yup", the woman said with a soft smile.

"You mean with needles?!"

"Yup, that's what I do."

Then the conversation took an unexpected turn onto a road I didn't even know existed. The kid goes:

"I heard that only crazy people go to acupuncturists."

"Really? Why would that be?"

"Because acupuncturists are crazy, so if a crazy person goes to one, he won't feel as crazy."

Then the boy's grandfather, who was sitting behind them, chimes in -- "No, its true! You send a crazy person to someone who is crazy, and he starts to feel more normal."

The woman started to smile, sensing the humor in the odd conversation she was having with 2 random train travelers. Trying to appear serious, she explained that acupuncturists actually do a lot of good work and help a lot of people with real problems.

The boy, however, could not be stopped. He was traveling full throttle down a previously un-traversed road, and not even the logical words of his college student train neighbor could slow him down.

"If I ever went to one", the boy said, "I'd grab the needles and STAB THE DOCTOR!"

Then I laughed. True story.