I had known 15-year-old Pat and his family for many years. His dad was a highly successful CEO, and it showed in the clothing he, his wife, and his kids wore, so I was surprised one summer day to see Pat come into my office in dirty, smelly tennis shoes and sweat-soaked shorts and shirt. He apologized for the way he looked and smelled but explained that he had to bike from work and didn’t have time to change. His medical problem was minor and took only a few minutes to solve. In the time remaining, I asked where he worked. He replied, “I clean cages at the Jones River Animal Hospital.”
“That’s good, are you planning on being a veterinarian?” I asked.
