Who likes going to the doctor? And men, as I’ve heard many times, are supposed to put off doctor’s visits as long as possible. I count myself among them. But at my age, it’s still advisable to have a check-up with the doctor every now and then.

I had my first one when I was fifty because I’d read somewhere that it was important. The doctor at the time, now a friend of ours, disagreed. He said very emphatically: «If you come to me to hear that you’re healthy, you’ve come to the wrong place.» He was right, and since then I’ve limited my doctor’s visits to the absolute minimum.

One ended with a doctor advising me not to drink more than three decilitre of wine per day. As if she knew me well, she added: «But that doesn’t mean you have to drink three decilitre every day!» Another, pleasant doctor’s visit followed in Frutigen, in the Bernese Oberland. When asked if I still smoked, I replied, «Yes, but rarely and not much. And if I did, it was only cigars!» The doctor, who didn’t realize how old I was, replied, «Well, once you are eighty, it doesn’t matter anymore!» This recommendation made me extremely happy!