Freudian Slap

I am not a bad man. Despite the shift work, the abuse and confrontation inherent working in front-line medicine I generally maintain an even temperament.

However, overnight I was confronted by an angry and aggressive middle-aged male weighing 183kg (400lb). His behaviour was intolerable, exemplified by a tirade of rude and inappropriate comments to the nursing staff and failure to use a mandated receptacle to contain his urethral eliminations (choosing instead to graphically represent his apellation on the cubicle wall from over his bed-rails).

In order to address this issue and calmly take control of the situation I strode into his cubicle and attempted to say – “Sir, your behaviour is causing offense. Would you kindly refrain from being so abusive to the nursing staff”. However, confronted by the gentleman’s incredible Falstaffian girth I inadvertently blurted:

“Mate, pipe down and stop being so obesive…”

Following this Freudian slap there fell a moment of calm as silence embraced semantic cerebration and basked in the adulation of the neologistic choir….then all Hell broke lose as a torrent of vehemence and angst united on a new adversary.

[Freudian Slap obreve b - Freudian Slap ebreve sFreudian Slap prime Freudian Slap ibreve v]

Obesive

  • adjective –  Fat and Angry
  • descriptive term for corpulent persons prone to using insulting, coarse or derogatory language

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About Mike Cadogan

Emergency physician with a passion for medical informatics and medical education. I write medical textbooks, websites such as HealthEngine and write more eclectically on the web as @sandnsurf | + Mike Cadogan | Contact

Comments

  1. My condolences on dealing with the morbidly morose.

    Unfortunately, the chemical means of behavior modification have the potential of airway compromise. They are titratable, but managing this airway may be more unpleasant than his earlier behavior.

  2. My condolences on dealing with the morbidly morose.

    Unfortunately, the chemical means of behavior modification have the potential of airway compromise. They are titratable, but managing this airway may be more unpleasant than his earlier behavior.

  3. Marcus says:

    If we communicate to children in faux high pitched tone so they “understand” us, shouldn’t this two-way street apply to others?

    We talk to foreigners with poor English using equally poor pigeon (or shout at them, depending on our ignorance), so why can’t we communicate to offensive people in language they will “understand?”

    If dialogue is a two step process, we have a responsibility to enhance comprehension by optimising delivery.

    We do this everyday with children, why not the obesive?

  4. Francesca says:

    Still laughing here… There is only one virtuoso English Doc I know who could come up with such Freudian slap vernacular to manage agro pt!

  5. James says:

    You have come through with the goods. Having heard this story first hand soon after it’s occurrence, through the concept development and now reading it here in its final and everlasting glory. This post is perfection. And that man was so obesive.

  6. Minutemoon says:

    No excuse for the man’s behavior. But the fact that there is even
    a word for this, a word that specifically connects “fat” with “anger,”
    demonstrates the stigma attached to “fat” in our culture. Can
    someone find me a word that means “thin and angry?”

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