She’s Shouting On Prints-iple

I’m in the waiting room of an eye clinic in a hospital. A woman in her late sixties and her adult daughter come out of one of the exam rooms. The woman loudly is complaining that she didn’t get a printout of the exam results, and her daughter is trying to calm her down.

Patient: “I always get the printout! They always give it to me! They didn’t give me the printout now!”

Patient’s Daughter: “Mom, stop yelling. You’re not being polite.”

A technician comes out of the room, as well.

Technician: “Our printer is out of order; I can’t print the results. But I sent them up to the ward.”

Patient: “I need to get a printout! I always get a printout!”

Technician: “It’s okay, the ward upstairs has them. I sent them up through the system. We can’t print it.”

Patient: “But I need to get the printout! You need to give me the printout!”

Technician: “I can’t give it to you, but I sent it to the ward.”

Patient: “You have to give me the printout! Just give it to me!”

Technician: “I sent it to the ward. It’s fine.”

Patient: “No, I want the printout now! Give me the printout!”

Technician: “I can’t.”

Patient: “Why not?!”

Technician: “Our printer is out of order.”

Patient: *Suddenly all calm and sweet* “Oh, that’s acceptable. Why didn’t you say so?”