The Doctor Is NOT In ...

This is how the conversation should have gone down ...


"You're done? Already?"

"The doctor wasn't in ..."

"Not in? Did you get the date wrong? Today was your appointment, wasn't it?"

"Yes. The nurse said he just wasn't in."

"Why not?"

"I didn't ask."

"Then we need to go back in."

"Why?"

"To get you're money back."

"What money? I didn't pay anything ..."

"How much did this appointment cost you?"

"Nothing. Because he wasn't in."

"How much would it have cost you had he been in?"

"I don't know. About $90.00, I guess ..."

"Well, we're going back in to get $45.00, half of what it would have cost you."

"I don't understand ..."

"Did the nurse apologize for the doctor not being in?"

"No. She just made "I can't do that." another appointment for tomorrow."

"And he's going to be in tomorrow? Because an appointment was made for today and he wasn't in today. So ... what we're going to do is go in and get $45.00 for you."

"Why?"

"For the time it took you to get here, for the trouble it's caused by the doctor not being her, for the fact the doctor's office didn't contact you to let you know he wouldn't be here, for your effort and for the fact they didn't even have the wherewithal to apologize. At $45.00, I think that's a bargain."

"I can't do that."

"Not a problem. Because I can. Come on ... let's go back in."


Oh ... waitaminnit. That's how the conversation actually did go down.

And on top of that, I made the nurse assure me she'd contact any other patients who hadn't yet showed up and let them know the doctor wouldn't be in for them, either.

I didn't get the $45.00. But I did get the point across.

And that was worth the effort.

.......... Ruprecht ( STOP )