Dr. Grumpy: "This is Dr. Grumpy, returning a page."
Mrs. Batter: "Oh, Dr. Grumpy, I'm glad you're still up."
Dr. Grumpy: "I'm not. What can I do for you?"
Mrs. Batter: "I feel so terrible."
Dr. Grumpy: "What's wrong?"
Mrs. Batter: "I'm just torn up about your talk."
Dr. Grumpy: "The talk I gave last night at the hospital? Why, what did I say?"
Mrs. Batter: "It's not you doctor. I just... I, I, I wasn't there!" (starts crying)
Dr. Grumpy: "Okay... And you called me because...?"
Mrs. Batter: "I feel awful. My husband and I were planning on coming to it, but then he got tickets to last night's baseball game from his friend Ed, so we went to that instead. You remember Ed? I think he sees you for his foot problem. And now I can't sleep because I feel so awful about not going to your talk, because I knew you'd be offended that I wasn't there."
Dr. Grumpy: "It's okay Mrs. Batter. I'm not offended. The local Stroke Association chapter had announced the talk, so there was a decent turn-out."
Mrs. Batter: "You didn't even notice I wasn't there, did you?" (starts crying louder, hangs up).
*rell-locating my jaw *
ReplyDeleteCool story doc, cool story!
The bright side is, there are some patients who still look to the thier doc as fathers...
No! This doesn't happen in real life...does it?
ReplyDeleteI really do not understand people who think the universe rotates around them, because it should be very clear to everyone that the universe rotates around ME.
ReplyDeleteSheesh. The nerve of some people!
Well, look on the bright side...
ReplyDeleteok, nevermind. I've got nothing.
You should call her during normal daytime hours to follow up that call. She's going to continue thinking about this and call you again at 0217 really pissed that you didn't notice her absence.
ReplyDeleteYou don't think she's going to let this one go, do you?
Another reminder that life is tough on some people requiring the rest of us to be kinder. As I enter my sentimental 60s I find myself feeling for people like her. Going soft I guess.
ReplyDeleteMrs. Blatter: "But I called my family doctor first and he was sure you'd want to know how sorry I was, even though it was late!"
ReplyDeletemenopause or depression or both...
ReplyDelete"At least the baseball team cared enough to notice that I was there. Or did they? Of course they did. Still, it wouldn't hurt to call them all to make sure..."
ReplyDeleteHoly transference, batman!
ReplyDeletekeep the pet rabbits safe...
ReplyDeleteIt's the middle of May. How many times have you changed your phone number this year, and how did this screwball get hold of it?
ReplyDeleteBorderline personality disorder?
ReplyDeletesounds like she has a humungous crush on you, doc.
ReplyDeleteHow did she get past your after hours screening?
ReplyDelete