Welcome back Saidso.

Re: doctors. Its down to paperwork (with annoyance) or paperwork out of admiration and respect for you claiming your own timing. Either way when you claim your authority its paperwork. Also remember the operation involves paperwork, too. Every damn thing involves paperwork.

I've been interested a lot in something I'll call "solo turns" for now in conversation. Like in a jazz group, soloists take a turn to perform. Often one or two other players in the rhythm section (drums, piano, & bass) drop a note or two but otherwise stay out of the way. I feel in conversation among friends especially all of us can learn intuitively to allow a solo with backup. Or allow a joke and play the straight person.

Or better, allow a joke and add to the fun.

I now see that many people in any role you might call out (friend, stranger, check-out clerk, bus driver) are really lost in intuiting the very fast shifts in where the solo turn is. My solo turn may be very brief. Here's an example from last night that was just a couple of sentences.
Friend (counting money donated to support a community music and poetry reading). This is good, a few people dropped a few 20s.
Me: They might have taken change. (thinking of a joke). I used to drop a 20 and take 40 in change back when I was really desperate.

Friend:[chuckles, signaling he got the joke]

Very much a balm to my spirit to find a kindred one that understands joking around without needing an MC to announce it.

Revu2