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I smiled back at him. He’d been a couple years ahead of me in school, played on the same football team. But now his widow’s peak was more prominent, and he had slight crow’s feet around his blue eyes. Sometimes seeing other people my age reminded me of my own. We were all getting older.

“I’d say it’s good to see you, but it looks like you’re having some trouble breathing? What’s going on?”

He sat back in his chair, trying to take deep breaths, and I pulled up the rolling stool to listen.

“Well, it started this morning after...” His cheeks were slightly red, and he looked down, trying harder to catch his breath.

“After a workout?” I guessed.

He snorted. “You could say that?”

Confused, I asked, “What?”

“The kids started back at school, and the wife and I were, uh, enjoying our morning, if you know what I mean.”

Now I fought to keep a straight face. “I think I follow.”

“And, uh, about halfway through it was pretty... vigorous...”

Dear god, please don’t laugh.“Go on.”

“Well, that’s the thing. I couldn’t. I got to breathing too hard and couldn’t catch my breath, but it didn’t feel like normal exertion, you know? I figured maybe I was too tired or something, but I’m still having trouble catching my breath, and my wife wanted me to get checked out.”

I nodded, still holding back laughter because we’d had the same damn idea this morning. “It was good that she did. Shortness of breath can be a sign for lots of things. Did you eat anything different today?”

He shook his head. “Eggs and toast like usual.”

“Been around anyone with the flu or Covid?”

He shook his head. “Not that I know of.”

“Let me have a peek in your ears and nose, just in case.”

He waited patiently as I shined a light in all the places and checked the back of his throat.

“It all looks good.”

“What do you think it could be?” he asked.

I shook my head, not wanting to worry him but needing to be honest. “Maybe a blood clot or even a collapsed lung. But I’ll have Brenda do an EKG on you first and then a chest X-ray, and we’ll know more.”

“Shit... Thanks, Doc,” he said.

I nodded, stepping out and letting Brenda know the next steps.

While she took care of his testing, I saw another patient, a little kid with an ear infection that would be easy enough to treat, then went back to my office to see what Brenda had for me. I looked at the reports on my desk and carefully scanned the X-ray over the light box. Then I shook my head slightly before walking back to the exam room where Dennis waited.

He stood up as I walked in and then sat back down as I did. “What’s it look like?”

“Your EKG was normal, and your chest X-ray is clear. I think you have something called respiratory alkalosis. It’s when you take in too much CO2 and your blood gets alkaline. Usually happens to people with panic attacks, but I’m guessing your rapid breathing this morning brought it on.”

He nodded slowly. “So it’s not serious?”

I shook my head. “Get some rest today; no working out because that could make it worse. And if you’re feeling better tomorrow, you can resume your regular... activities.”

He smiled up at me. “And if I’m not?”

“Then come see me.”