I remember that up until the mid-1970s, the stereotypical expectant father (evident in many B films of the time), would not, as is now common, be present at the birth of his offspring but would pace up and down a hospital corridor chain smoking until the first cry of the new born babe was heard. I was not present at the birth of either my son,(born 1966), or my daughter, (born 1971), as a father's presence had not yet become de rigeur. Indeed a father's presence anywhere near the room where the birth was to take place was considered to complicate the whole birthing process unduly. I could say that I regret not having been present at the birth of my children but in my case it may have been a good thing that I wasn't.
From early childhood there had been question marks about my equilibrium in bloody situations yet my father intended me for a medical career. I wasn’t consulted on my choice of career but vaguely took a pride in the fact that this was his ambition for me and that it must have been an reasonable ambition to have in that it seemed to impress people when my father would utter these words to important guests, “Charlie is going to be a physician.” I wasn't really sure what a physician was at that time and in later years I often wondered why he used the word “physician” and never “doctor”. Famously known for my dimness, it took me some years to understand that my father used the word "physician" because he felt it carried more social cachet than "doctor" did.
When I reached the age of fourteen years my medical career came to an abrupt end. My youngest sister M had to enter hospital for surgery. Immediately after her operation our whole family visited her and while saying “Hello, M,” I noticed she had stitches on her face. My next conscious recollection was waking up in the hospital emergency department. The sight of my sister's wound had rendered me unconscious and in a faint I had collapsed to the floor where my head collided with the latter's hard surface and I was hurriedly removed to be treated for concussion.
Never again did my father introduce me as a medical cadet.
