Rather sick than poor?

This morning, while waiting approximately one and a half hour in the waiting room of my doctor I was listening to a discussion of three elderly people, a woman, a man who was observing the waiting room scenery all time long and quite proud of beeing able to help two patients out of an almost clash because they didn't know whos turn it was and a man who felt like sharing his malady history with all other patients in the waiting room.

Exactly this man wanted to let us know about his Mallorca holidays and his 200 PS car that hat less gas consumption than his older 90 PS (one of the cars was a Honda) and that he has to find alternate routes through the city daily. This man also slagged off patients who needed more than five minutes in the doctors room and talked a lot because they couldn't talk to anybody at home. And, what a wonder, exactly this man was talking for about 25 minutes to the doctor because he obviously had nobody to tattle at home.

But this man also remarked one of his wordly wisdoms by the way : Rather healthy and rich, than sick and poor! And I was just thinking: typical old Viennese! Egoistic, arrogant and not humorous, just as we know them. You should be sick and poor just for one day to experience why life is worth living.