The Eskimo Disease

Bill has a heart condition and has spent many weeks in the Hospital.  But  he could still find a way to make people laugh.  During his last haircut, he told me he was there for about ten days.  Just before his release, a doctor came by and asked him, if he would mind if a few interim students could come by, to ask him a few questions.  He complied.  No problem.

Everybody had their clipboards and questions ready.  After about half an hour of questioning, in which he answered everything without hesitation, one girl asked, “Bill, what is perhaps the worst part of being here in the hospital for long periods of time?”  Bill quickly answered, “It’s the Eskimo Disease, that really bothers me the most.”  The Eskimo Disease?  Everybody had the same puzzling look on their face.  Finally, one of the younger female students had to speak up.  “The Eskimo Disease... please tell us, what is, The Eskimo Disease?”

“Well,” Bill said, “I think the actual term for it is, Lacka’nuna.”

And still, by the looks Bill was observing, he knew, they just weren’t getting it.  ‘Till finally he blurted out... “Oh wait a minute, wait a minute, I think the real word for it is, Lacka’nookie!”

Giggles, and finally laughter, was all Bill heard as the last Interim, left his room.