Friday, December 18, 2009

Next year, put it in an envelope

Before we met, Mrs. Grumpy was a cancer nurse, specializing in chemotherapy. She worked at the infusion suite of Local Cancer Center.

As you've heard me complain, in December all medical practices get trays of food and/or flowers from different ancillary businesses, thanking them for their support in the past year.

So one busy mid-December morning a delivery guy dropped off a HUGE floral arrangement on the front counter. Since it was busy, and the flowers were pretty, the staff just left them there.

Oncology clinics are never cheerful places, but that morning there seemed to be a larger-than-usual number of patients and their families crying in the lobby. But nobody mentioned anything to the staff, so work went on as usual.

Sometime in the early afternoon a secretary took the flowers back to the break room, so the rest of the staff could enjoy them.

At that point they realized the side of the display that had been facing the lobby had a large note that said:

"Thank you for your referrals over the past year. From the staff at Local Mortuary."

17 comments:

Helen said...

Oh dear.

At my grandfather's funeral, there were tables with water pitchers and disposable cups set up around the room if people needed a drink.

Whoever was in charge of buying the cups obviously hadn't looked at them first. They were Halloween themed, and covered with skeletons.

It was so wildly inappropriate I laughed until I cried.

Grumpy, M.D. said...

Helen- I think you win.

J-Quell'n said...

Damn!

Fiz said...

Dear Dr Grumpy and Helen , I'm crying with laughter here! Have mercy on me!

Christy said...

OOOOH MYYYY!!!!! That is funny. I can't help it. It just is.

Anonymous said...

Ohhhhhhhh. After this *ell of a morning in the pharmacy, and with stupidities going on all around like small brush fires, I could only laugh until tears. Thanks, Dr. Grumpy (and, Mrs. G.). I've got to do a better job searching for the hilarity.

danielle said...

oooohhhhhhh

The Good Cook said...

I am laughing my buns off here. I thought that stuff only happened at my family's funerals...

OMDG said...

Oops.

Jeremy said...

This reminds me of when I worked at Kroger (grocery store) Every first Wednesday of the month was Senior Day. Senior Citizens were invited to shop (with 10% off), enjoy a continental breakfast, and play Bingo. That was the highlight of their visit. Tables were set up in an area of the store, and around 100 Senior Citizens would play Bingo for 2 hours.

Anyway, a funeral home was built across the street from this Kroger. So, on Senior Wednesdays... they were invited to set up a table to advertise the funeral home. There was always a person at the table too. They even did a special "cover all" round during Bingo, where the winner's name was put on a plaque and on display in the funeral home lobby!! They made sure to be there every Senior Wednesday!

The Seniors thought it was hilarious!

Anonymous said...

Doh!

Anonymous said...

So , do both you and Mrs. G have black clouds dating back to medical / nursing school you have been unable to shake?

Grumpy, M.D. said...

That would explain our kids, wouldn't it?

Carmella said...

I never realized those in that er, business sector, had to drum up more clients? I heard a radio ad for a cemetery the other day...On a happier note - I thought you'd like this site: http://www.sketchysantas.com/

Alan said...

In regards to the flowers - Ouch!

In regards to your reply to Anonymous 12:59:

Anon: "So , do both you and Mrs. G have black clouds dating back to medical / nursing school you have been unable to shake?"

Dr. G:"That would explain our kids, wouldn't it?"

You managed to trump your own post!

Anonymous said...

so funny, I am an ICU nurse and we had a patient code and die last week and the next day the mortuary sent us a fruit basket thanking us for the referral.. it creeped us out so much no one touched it. and to make matters worse the patient 2 rooms down owned the same mortuary

Just a little snarky said...

^ Creepy.

 
Locations of visitors to this page