On A Hamstring Budget

(My 13-year-old brother has been having pain in his ankles whenever he is on his feet for extended periods of time. He plays soccer and practice makes the pain much worse. My mom works for an orthopedic doctor. She takes him in on Friday, so he can get a diagnosis before his school tryouts on Monday. The doctor evaluates him and goes to my mom.)

Doctor: “He has the tightest hamstrings I have ever seen.”

Mom: “Really?”

Doctor: “Oh, yeah. I’ll prescribe him a physical therapy session. He’ll just need one, so he can learn the stretches he needs.”

(The office for the physical therapy is fairly new, and my mom’s work has been able to give them good business. My mom calls the office and explains who she is, says she needs this for her son, etc. She’s worried because the office doesn’t take our insurance and doesn’t know how much it will cost. The secretary talks to the physical therapist then comes back.)

Secretary: “Can you guys come in tomorrow morning at 8?”

Mom: “Sure! Of course. How much will the session be?”

Secretary: “Oh, it’ll be no charge. You guys have given us so much business. It’s no problem.”

Mom: “Oh, thank you!”

(My mom and brother go in the next morning. They spend about an hour learning a bunch of different stretches to help him out. The entire time there is no one there except for them, the secretary, and the physical therapist. They go to check out.)

Mom: “Are you guys usually open on Saturdays?”

Secretary: “No, we’re not open on Saturdays.”

(That’s when it clicks. Both of them had come in on their day off for free just to help my brother, all because her work helped them with their business. My mom was incredibly thankful and appreciative of what they did and my brother is doing much better! Also, as a kicker, the doctor wrote on the prescription, ‘worst hamstrings in world history!’)