I had a consultation with a high-powered specialist who suddenly had some urgent texts to attend to. While he was tapping his phone I noticed this mug full of pens on his desk, snapped a photo. He smiled when I told him I had to send this to a doctor friend.

“Are you a fan?” he asked with a smile.

“I am absolutely not a fan,” I said, perhaps a bit too frankly.

The smile left his face and there was a moment of silence between us.

In that moment I suddenly understood why he was wearing his mask on his chin.