36. Something was wrong. Did he have a hernia again, in the same place? Thirty years ago, he had a hernia. A doctor had repaired the hernia. Now he felt some pain. It was below his navel. It was to the left of his navel. It wasn't a sharp pain. It was a dull ache. It had started about two months ago. Now it was getting worse. Now it was a constant ache. He called a few doctors. "How much is a consult?" he asked. One doctor said $300. Another doctor said $350. That's a lot of money, he thought. Maybe this ache will go away. Maybe it'll go away by itself. He decided to wait another week. Then I'll make an appointment, he thought. I'll spend the money. It's a lot of money. But it's cheaper to fix a small problem now than a big problem later. 2.6