"I asked my doctor how many more years I have left and he said, 'You're too ornery to die.'"

This quote by Jimmy Piersall is a funny way of revealing the concept that life is unforeseeable which no one can know just how much time they have actually left. It suggests that the speaker's physician thinks that the speaker is so complete of life and energy that they will outlast the average person. It also suggests that the speaker's medical professional has a good sense of humor and is not afraid to joke around with their client. The quote is a tip that life is precious and that we must maximize the time we have. It is also a suggestion that we ought to not take ourselves too seriously and that it is very important to take pleasure in life and have a common sense of humor.