Fieldwork

by Loren Goodman

An interview that I will always remember fondly is with Dr. Jack Lippes, who invented a popular I.U.D. This was one of the first interviews I ever did off campus. I had to go meet him at his office at ECMC. I had read some of his essays and newspaper articles about him, so I would be prepared and could ask him questions. Bruce Jackson's book Fieldwork had prepared me to interview. I made sure I had my tape recorders in working order and that I had enough extra tapes.

It was in the summer, I remember, and I wanted to eat lunch before I met him. I had everything perfectly ready to go and I went to eat at this pizza place and I got a coke. I was all set to have a relaxing lunch before my interview, and then I spilled the coke all over my pants. I had brought extra tapes and even an extra tape recorder, but I hadn't brought extra pants. But I figured he's a man of medicine, it probably wouldn't matter.