An elderly man named Bill went into his doctor’s office for his annual physical.

He felt confident as he sat in the waiting room. In fact, he hadn’t felt this good in years. He was walking every day, eating better, and even telling his friends he might live to be one hundred.

After the examination, Bill waited while the doctor looked over his test results.

A few minutes later, the doctor came back into the room with a serious expression.

“I’m sorry, Bill,” he said gently, “but we’ve discovered you have a condition that only allows you another six weeks to live.”

Bill stared at him in shock.

“Six weeks?” he said. “But Doctor, I feel great. I haven’t felt better in years. This can’t be true.”

The doctor nodded sadly.

“I understand, Bill, but the results are very clear.”

Bill leaned forward, desperate.

“Isn’t there anything I can do?”

The doctor thought for a moment.

“Well,” he said, “you might start going down the street to that new health spa and take a mud bath every day.”

Bill’s face lit up.

“A mud bath?” he asked. “And that will cure me?”

The doctor shook his head and replied:

“No, but it will get you used to the dirt.”