I will talk to pretty much anybody. I enjoy meeting new people, seek out the company of people from all walks of life, and believe that one way we move society forward is by being willing to meet people unlike ourselves with genuine openness. So it’s no surprise that I end up engaging a lot of people when visiting patients. This is especially true in retirement communities, skilled nursing facilities, and assisted living centers. That’s how I met a patient named Marie, who wasn’t even on my service.