Friday, October 1, 2010

Forever awkward...

So this morning I had a doctor appointment, no big whoop. After I checked in at the registration desk, I walked over to the elevator and got in. Right as the doors were closing a man in his late-60s/early-70s jumped in at the last minute. No biggie, that sort of thing happens all the time with elevators.

Right as we were about to get out of the elevator, he looked back at me (as he was in front of me), then jumped out, and took off for the sign-in desk for the doctor. I was like, "ok, well, he must be in a hurry cuz he's old." I didn't think much of it as I live in a community where there are often rude "me first" types, so sadly, I'm used to it.

Mr. Speedy then walked straight up to the first window at the sign-in desk, as I slowly made my way to the second one. The sign-in took all of 5 seconds, and in no time, I was sitting in the waiting room happily reading The Girl Who Kicked the Hornet's Nest.

Out of nowhere, as Mr. Speedy sat down in the waiting room across from me, he started up a conversation. At first I thought he was just going to complain about kids these days, elevators not having bright enough buttons, or the way men don't wear hats to ball games, but noooo...he says, "Sorry if I was rude by running in ahead of you out of the elevator." I was shocked, it's so rare to get an apology for bad things let alone trivial annoyances. I told him that it was no biggie and that I was early for my appointment and in no rush. He then said, "Well, the reason is that I came in this morning and held the door in the lobby open for a lady. She then got in line ahead of me, got into the waiting room first, and got my appointment! The nurse said that I was a minute late so they gave my appointment to the lady I held the door for. Can you believe that?"

Before I could say much of anything, he said "So they wouldn't get me in to see my doctor today. You know what I did? I switched doctors! I'm not waiting weeks to see the doctor when I've had this appointment for months!" If you know me, you know that I'm not very outgoing when it comes to speaking to total strangers. In many respects, I'm still the shy kid hiding behind my mom's leg at church. But this time was going to be different, this time I was going to say something fun and witty, and make a friend out of an unlikely stranger! So I said, "That's what you get for displaying a random act of kindness!" He just gave me this troubled look and started reading his magazine. Conversation over.

Shortly thereafter, I was called in to see the doctor. I will be forever awkward...

6 comments:

  1. HAHAHA nice. i think that was the best reply! maybe the problem is that he arrives too late for his appts. And the woman he opened the door for arrives on time. i love how he looks at it like she *stole* his appt. Like she was just coming in there as a walk-in. odd.

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  2. Thanks for seeing my side, Lily! I was just trying to be funny, but I guess he didn't get it. Oh well, if you can't handle my humor, I don't need you bumming me out before I go to the doctor!

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  3. Hahaha. That is kind of a weird thing to say. Funny though. :-)

    I am Fickle Cattle.

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  4. @Fickle Cattle - thanks for checking out my blog. I guess that was a weird thing to say, I just get so excited/nervous when I interact with strangers in-person...lame, right?

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  5. I totally would have said the exact same thing and had I been that crusty old man, I would have laughed at your ironic sense of humor.

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  6. @Mrs.T - THANK YOU! I knew I was effing hilarious!

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