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When I first moved to Little Rock, one of the first pieces of real mail that found itself into my box at the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette was from my eye doctor.
I thought it strange at first because I didn’t give the clinic the address at the office, but after opening the envelope, I realized that it wasn’t the standard doctor-patient communique.
No, Dr. Thomas Gulley had taken time out of his day to send a complimentary, handwritten note about a recent story I’d written, which he cut out of the newspaper and included in the envelope.
I’ve long forgotten what the story was about, but I’ll always remember this kind gesture.
Journalists regularly receive notes from readers, both positive and negative. Nowadays, these are almost exclusively emails, so Dr. Gulley’s note, much like his clinic in downtown Little Rock, was positively quaint and old-fashioned. I’ve talked to several patients who also received kind notes in the mail, including more than one journalist. I suspect Dr. Gulley wrote many over the years.
His practice, Gulley Vision Clinic at 404 Louisiana St. in downtown Little Rock, is closing this month after four decades. Gulley on Sept. 30 will begin his well-deserved retirement.
I’m happy for him, but I’m sad to see the community lose a clinic like this. The number of these family practices with their genuine, personal touch dwindles by the day.
When you walked through the door at Gulley’s office, it almost felt like going back several decades through a time machine.
The dark wood decorations were straight out of the mid-to-late 20th century.
Filing cabinets covered the wall behind Gulley’s receptionist, and far as I could tell, most records were still kept on paper in file folders.
Much of the equipment, I’m told, is as old as the clinic, and I can attest remains in good working order.
The staff, which I never saw exceed three, knew your name and your history, and my appointments with Dr. Gulley were usually long conversations only interrupted by small breaks for the routine procedures of an annual eye exam that required us both to focus.
For me, that usually meant some talk about Memphis. I grew up there, and Gulley went to the Southern College of Optometry in Memphis, where he later served as chairman of the board of trustees.
The time was never rushed, and I never had any problem getting an appointment within a few days.
The experience is a far cry from what I’ve seen at most other medical clinics in the area. The business of health care is to blame, and that’s a shame.
I’ll find a new optometrist. Their office will be more modern and employ more technology I’m sure, but I doubt I’ll get any more mail at work.
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