Recently a patient announced there was no point in making her customary three month follow-up appointment as she would not be here much longer. This sort of talk makes me sit straight up –  was she talking suicide? No, she was talking about The Rapture. On 21 May (time yet to be determined)* she is flying upwards like Mary Poppins, leaving this earth (and an outstanding medical bill) and in need of no further psychiatric care.  This didn’t stop her from asking for her usual prescription – a 3 month supply. I questioned the need for 90 tablets; might she do good enough with a 2 week’s supply? Response: “It is cheaper” (for a 3 month supply). I didn’t ask why she is bothering saving money. I may be as simple as people would rather die than pay a higher co-pay.

Throughout the ages people have been predicting the end of the world. Countless end of the world dates have come and gone. I remember some pastor in the 1800s predicting the end of the world 3x each time saying there was a miscalculation.  I’ve lived through a few alleged armageddons  – 1987, 1992, 2000, and 2001. I feel sorry for the Mayans; they must be sore with their PR firm for the  5/21/2011 has taken all the wind out of 12/20/2012.

Apart from all fuss the Fundies create, what irritates me is their smugness.  There is a sense of ‘being in the know’ and feeling counted among an elite.  “I am being saved and you are not, for I am better than you, so so long sucker!” This is annoying to us on the alleged B-list.

While ignorance drives me bats, it is human nature that really worries me. I think these people prefer to create an end of the world rather than admit they were wrong.

My patient may not come back, not from apotheosis but from embarrassment. If she does, I won’t rub it in. However, if she has a new date for the “corrected” Rapture I may make exception.

* Someone informs me it starts spot-on 5/21 starting on the Pacific Rim, with devastation and earthquakes and the Raptured ones will leave behind their shoes.