Age appropriateness

part of the process of becoming an immigrant to the US is to pass a physical examination. They require the would be immigrant to not have certain diseases such as HIV or TB. Nor should the immigrant have diseases with other long term implications. The immigrant also needs to either have documented proof of immunisation against a whole raft of diseases or s/he has to undergo such immunisation.

You'll understand then, that I was somewhat nervous about the exam. I'd had all the common immunisations but I didn't have documentary proof. Many's the day in 1962 to 1965 that I'd stood in a queue waiting for the next jab.

So came the day. Monday April 8th 2002. The usual kind of medical exam. Stick out your tongue - say aaah... Take off your clothes behind that screen (like the screen makes much of a difference when you're going to have to emerge naked ). And I don't care how often it happens, it's just plain uncomfortable to have another man feeling your testicles - I'll never get used to that!

Then, after retreating to the safety of my underpants, came the questions about the inoculations. I told the unvarnished truth - I had no documents to prove that I'd had them. He tutted a bit and ticked off a series of boxes on the form. I read the title of the column, upside down.

It said - Age Inappropriate!