I have yet to figure out why people always think that their time is more valuable than mine. I doesn’t matter who it is: the doctor, the dentist, the repairman, the therapist. If I am late, or don’t show, I get penalized. If THEY don’t come, or do not receive me on time, it is assumed that I will put up with it.
A case in point. Yesterday a technician was supposed to come to ascertain why the filter in my washing machine is stuck therein almost as firmly as Ricki’s extra 21st chromosome is set into her cells.
I had noticed that the water was draining slowly, and took the filter out to clean it. On replacing it, it wouldn’t go in all the way, but it also got stuck so that I could not remove it either. The company said a technician would come between noon to 4:00, on Tuesday, with a warning call a half hour in advance. Failure to be here at that hour would result in a fine.
In order to be at home, I cut a dash to do several much-needed errands short.
I was home; they didn’t show. If I was a “working woman”, I could have lost money as a result.
If one shows up for therapy late, you miss time and that is not returned to you. I have no problem with that. But if I pay for a taxi to get there on time, because I am running late, as often happens, it is VERY frustrating to see that the therapist had come in late that morning, and is running 15 minutes late. I could have walked and arrived on time. And with doctors, this “wait” for him could be easily up to an hour.
Of course, if you are wise, you take a book/Discman/embroidery/knitting or WHATEVER along with you WHENEVER you leave the house. But a repairman not showing up at all is a real Chutzpah, to say the least....
2 comments:
My friend also had a problem, and the repairman said it was because she hadn't used it over the holiday. SHe has a Maytag and inspired my post: http://www.amotherinisrael.com/2009/04/22/money-and-laundering-frugal-and-efficient-clothes-washing/
I hope you get your machine fixed soon.
Your opening line said it all!
Once, I was late to the doctor when all I needed was for him to listen to my son's chest and make sure my son did not have pneumonia.
The secretaries said I was "too late" and offered me another appointment several hours later.
I was LIVID. I sit an wait for my doctor when he is late ALL the time. I race like crazy to get there on time, then I sit an twiddle my thumbs. But when I was late, no one had a problem sending me home and telling me to come back later, wasting hours of my time in travel, not to mention schlepping a sick kid back and forth.
It turns out that I was really sick too (but I did not know it yet). So my tolerance level was even lower!
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