As much as I would like to think I am, yesterday afternoon convinced me yet again that I struggle with patience. I can think of a zillion (okay, maybe I'm exaggerating slightly, Dad) ways I would have preferred to spend my afternoon. Background to my afternoon: I have two remaining baby teeth in my mouth with no adult teeth coming in after to replace them and one starting to show signs that it won't last forever and the "end" button on my cell phone stopped working about two weeks ago. Unrelated you might say, except for the fact that I decided to take steps towards remedying both of those yesterday afternoon!
I landed at the oral surgeon's office for my appointment shortly before 2 p.m. Paperwork, reading magazines in the waiting room, checking in and watching a little video on implants, talking with an assistant about consent forms, meeting with the oral surgeon and then there I was alone in the examining room to wait for the final thing - talking with the business office folks about the money part of this whole thing. I read over all the paperwork - the consent forms signing my life away, about the different anesthesia options, studied exactly what they would be doing, the recovery time, etc... I had it about all memorized and was still sitting there waiting. All I really wanted to know was the answer to the question I had asked on the phone when setting up the appointment regarding financial aid or payment options or whether they charge on a sliding scale. They had told me we could talk about all those things at my consultation. So I waited. This is when I should have gotten out my knitting but the assistant had told me the woman I needed to meet with was just finishing up with another patient.
After about 45 minutes the room was feeling rather stuffy and I was starting to wonder if maybe they had forgotten about me. It's a bit unsettling to be sitting alone in a room just waiting for someone to call me out. So I peeked out and after a few more minutes someone walked by that I could just ask if they knew how long the wait would be yet. I think it was another 15 minutes or so until I was called. I sat down in front of two nice women who proceeded to tell me the costs (over $2000 for one tooth - doesn't include the crown at the end which would be placed by my dentist) and then explain that for implants there is no options for payment plans or financial aid and the balance has to be paid in full 2 weeks before the procedure (no sliding scale either). I thanked them and left, it now being after 4 p.m. and me fuming that I just waited over an hour for them to tell me something that unhelpful (though I guess useful information!).
Jason got a earful on my way to Verizon and I pitied whoever I got at the next place, as I can't say that sitting in Verizon Wireless (which I've only done one time before when dropping my phone in a CVS caused it to split in two) is one of my preferred activities either. There were a few people ahead of me so I settled down to wait (after the man lounging on one of the only seats in the place sat up and assured me he didn't bite, most of the time). For the duration of my wait, I learned all sorts of things about his life as a welder and now a controller of these large robots in the plant where he works. And how he gets paid way better now but the welding work was 4 times harder. He then went on to tell me that he and his wife just bought a new dining room set. They went shopping for a jewelry box for his daughter's birthday and came home with a dining room set and china cabinet. And then he shared about almost crying when he broke one of their crystal glasses. And did I know how to tell real crystal - well now I do. He then stood up, turned to me and said, "nice talking with you" and headed to the counter. I guess I uttered a few words here and there. :) But it passed the time until Zak called me. A nice young fellow who was extremely helpful, to the point of asking me where I worked which got me a 5% discount on my monthly fees since EMU has a contract with Verizon.
He looked the phone over, checked the battery, ordered a replacement that would be covered under warranty unless when I send it in they determine that I caused the end button to stop working. After a half hour or so I was on my way out the door with the assurance that my new phone should arrive the next day, if all goes well. As I left the store I went to call Jason to let him know I was headed home. My phone was black. Then I realized that he had turned it off in his examination of the battery and I had no way of turning it on - that is a fairly important button (just try going without it for a few weeks). He was immediately apologetic and said he'd get it back on for me. He looked at it for awhile and then cheerfully and confidentely said he would take it to the technician to get back on. By this time I was beyond being annoyed because I have to admit feeling rather entertained watching him conversing with the technicians. I could tell that it was not going to be good news. They were chuckling and I could almost imagine them saying something like "sorry about your luck" and gently letting him know that there was no way for them to turn it back on. He came back, slightly flushed in the face, and apologized profusely. It had never crossed his mind, even though I had clearly explained the problem. So I headed back out with his parting words, "I was trying to make your life easier." So I'm unreachable by cell currently and it is an odd but kind of freeing feeling, except for my worry of who might be trying to get in touch with me. It is funny how we went from only having a land line not that many years ago to be so used to being accessible all the time.
It probably goes without saying that I was thrilled to pull in the parking space at home and see a little girl toddling towards me all by herself (having left her daddy down by the fire ring processing garlic to come greet her ma ma). So so sweet! And an evening of picking produce in the garden and consuming fresh cucumber dill salad, steamed yellow squash, zucchini with cheese and a garlic swiss chard saute helped put my world right again!
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