[bw41101]

A male patient is lying in bed in the hospital (wearing an oxygen mask over his mouth and nose), drifting in and out of conciousness after a prolonged surgical procedure.

A young, student nurse appears to give him a partial sponge bath.

"Nurse", he mumbles, from behind the mask. "Are my testicles black?"

Embarrassed, the young nurse replies, "I don't know, Sir. I'm only here to wash your upper body and feet.

He struggles to ask again, "Nurse, are my testicles black?"

Concerned that he may elevate his vital signs from worry about his testicles, she overcomes her embarrassment and sheepishly pulls back the covers. She raises his gown, holds his penis in one hand and his testicles in the other. Then, she takes a close look and says, "There's nothing wrong with them, Sir!"

The man pulls off his oxygen mask, smiles at her and says very slowly, "Thank you very much. but that's not what I said, I asked:

A r e - m y - t e s t s - r e s u l t s - b a c k?"