I work in a medical clinic. Not a single day goes by where I don't get berated and blamed for things completely out of my control, or are just plain nonsensical. Not one.
Story time: Yesterday a fellow came in and handed me his appointment card. I greet him, he doesn't acknowledge my greeting (happens all the time). I note his name on the card and look at the daily worklist. His name is not there. I ask for his DOB so I can confirm who he is and search for his record. He gives it to me and as I'm searching he says “I've just had to come from your new location, I was told you were moving”
“oh, yes we are moving at the end of october” (200m down the road)
“well it would have been nice to have been told that”
“oh I see, strange that we would have asked you to go there seeing as we are still here, when did you make the booking?”
“I came here yesterday”
“sorry there must have been a misunderstanding … sir, your appointment is this time tomorrow”
“I know” (huh?)
“Oh, is there something I can help you with?”
“well am I coming here or going there?”
“here please, as I just explained, we are relocating at the end of next month”
“please confirm my appointment”
“tomorrow the 28th september at 9am, you should have received a confirmation text message this morning”
“I don't have a mobile”
“oh thats ok, we would have called you at home to confirm with you directly”
“I don't have a home phone, I should have received a written confirmation to my home in writing”
“Sir, your appointment was made yesterday and is written on your appointment card, as well as the location”
“so I am coming here????????”
“yes, here, right here”
“are you suuuure??????”
“I'm sure”
Leaves without another word. What the fuck just happened.
10 minutes later I receive a phone call. “Hello, I am a patient and I will be making a booking at some stage, i just have a query, what is your new location”
“We are moving to >location< at the end of next month, sorry we do not have an exact date at this stage"
“Well will you be letting people know you are moving”
“Yes we will and we are”
“And how will you be doing that?”
(it hits me, I must be talking to the same dude, surely)
“We are advising people when they come in and all of our communications will be updated”
“Don't you think you should have a sign?”
“We do, it's the big one on the side of the building, facing the road, next to the entrance”
“Oh well that's very helpful, thank you, you have yourself a great day” (sarcastic AF tone)
“would you like me to make you an appointment?”
“no” *click*
Can anyone help me understand what the hell that could have been all about? I've picked this apart over and over in my head and I just can't find the logic. Can you pick up on something I didn't? Did I handle this incorrectly? What the hell drives people to act like this? I know everyone says to ignore people like that because “they are just miserable in their own lives” or “have nothing better to do” yada yada but I just cannot comprehend what they think they are getting out of doing stuff like this.
I swear, getting through the work day is like trying to breath underwater.
Thanks for reading.