The Waiting is (not always) the Hardest Part January 24, 2012
Posted by Matt in personal stories.Tags: doctor's office, reading, waiting room
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I’m in the wrong business.
Today I had a routine doctor’s appointment to get a prescription refilled, one which you might imagine be a simple, walk in, have him sign a paper, and walk out type of deal. I got there about five minutes early for my 12:30 appointment, signed in, paid my $40 copay (he’s a specialist) and took a seat in the waiting room, surrounded by a strange mixture of elderly people and parents with young, school aged children. Fox News was blaring on the television, so I purposefully chose an isolated seat as far away from the unrelenting proclamations of impending doom brought upon us by the Obama administration as I possibly could.
Soon, I was deeply engrossed in the novel I’ve been reading for nearly two months, Pillars of the Earth, and as I neared the end, it was becoming more and more imperative that I not set it down nor should I acknowledge anything going on about me. Time passed and as I continued to read about the fortunes of Kingsbridge priory, the nurse finally called me back. Sighing, I reluctantly marked my place and walked with her through the great door, impassable to those of us lacking the correct credentials.
She weighed me (down 5 lbs from my last visit!) and took me to a room, where I was again left to sit, alone. I pulled the book out and began reading again. Soon I was completely immersed in the story again, losing track of my surroundings as I single-mindedly felt myself drawn in by its tractor beam.
Then, after nearly two hours, the doctor opened the door, demolishing the idyllic literary paradise I had built around myself. I stood, shook his hand, and then we sat down again.
“So,” he said, “How’s it going?”
“Fine. No problems.”
“Dosage and everything are still working for you.”
“Yes.”
“So all you need is a refill?”
“Yes. That’s it.”
“Okay. If you need anything, give me a call,” and he walked out.
A few moments later, the nurse returned holding a prescription. “Need anything else, honey?”
“No, that’s it.”
“Okay. Have a good day.”
On the plus side, that’s out of the way and I can go on with my day.
On the negative side, I’m still not done reading my book. Seriously, if you’re going to make me wait two hours for a two minute visit, at least have the decency to let me stick around and finish!
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