This was told to me by my regular physical therapist, whom I’ve known for over twenty years now. He’s self-employed and really does work twelve hours per day on a five-day basis.

He is talking to someone who has walked into the clinic in person.

New Client: “I need a physical therapist. I have a prescription for ten therapy sessions. I called you.”

Physical therapist: “Did you leave your number?”

New Client: “Uhm, no. But I left a message on your answering machine.”

Physical therapist: “You called as ‘Anonymous’ and didn’t leave your number.” 

New Client: “Well, I came here now.”

Physical therapist: “I’m sorry, but I’m fully booked this week and the next. The one after we’re closed. I have an opening when we’re open again.”

New Client: “But that’s in three weeks!” 

Physical therapist: “Yes.”

New Client: “Can’t you squeeze me in somewhere?” 

Physical therapist: “All times are already taken.” 

New Client: “But I’m in pain. My doctor said it’s urgent I get therapy.”

Physical therapist: “98% of my patients are in pain.” 

New Client: “Can’t you move someone? I’m in so much pain!”

Physical therapist: “No, sorry.”

New Client: “How about after hours?”

Physical therapist: “I’m open from 8 AM to 8 PM. Those are the times I work.”

New Client: “And throughout lunch hours?”

Physical therapist: “Ma’am, all my slots are taken. I take lunch between two patients, which means I get about five minutes to eat until the next. I can put you on a waiting list and call if someone cancels, but you have to be very flexible.”

New Client: “Oh no, that’s not possible. So not after 8 PM?” 

Physical therapist: “No.”

New Client: “And before 8 AM?” 

Physical therapist: “No!”

She left, unsatisfied, unable to get her urgent slot. I understand that it’s frustrating, but he’s a really good physical therapist, and his appointment books are full of regulars, who get dibs on the next quarter. My current treatment has been going on for two years now. 

Some people! Lady, if it’s urgent and you’re in pain, call someone else! This woman came in person and kept him from his next patient for almost ten minutes!

When I’m hired at a therapy clinic, it all seems pretty standard at first, until we move to a new site.

The new place doesn’t have an in-house washer or dryer. Fair enough. But instead of hiring a laundry service, our director decides to save money by making us do it.

Director: “You’ll just take the dirty linen home, wash it, and bring it back. Everyone will take turns.”

The linen includes towels, pillowcases, and anything used for icing, heating, and exercises.

Most of my coworkers just quietly accept it as part of the job.

Me: “Wait… we’re not getting paid for this?”

Director: “Well, no, it’s just one of those things you all help with.”

Not for me. That is very clearly a work task.

The day my “turn” comes, I take the linen home, dump it into my washer… and clock in on my phone before starting. Then I go about washing, drying, folding, and stacking every last item. Only after everything is done do I clock out.

A week later, my manager sends me a text.

Manager: “Hey, can you explain the extra time you logged this weekend?”

Me: “Yeah, that was me washing, drying, and folding the clinic’s linen. On the clock.”

There’s a long pause before she replies with a simple: 

Manager: “Oh.”

Not long after that, a contractor is hired to pick up and deliver fresh linen weekly. 

Turns out, once the laundry started costing them actual wages, it suddenly became worth outsourcing.

My father is undergoing physical therapy for a shoulder injury. They gave him an injection in his shoulder, and he started describing how big the syringe was and how big the needle was.

Father: “It was the size of a BIC pen!”

I cut in.

Me: “Well, all guys exaggerate how big the pr*ck is.”

He started belly-laughing at that and agreed with that statement.

My brother books a massage at home for 9:00 pm. He waits until 9:10 and tries calling them several times to no avail. He decides to quickly run to the nearby grocery to pick up water.

The therapist shows up at 9:37, and I ask him to wait a few minutes as my brother is coming back. After waiting three minutes, he says he needs to leave because he has another appointment.

Me: “Sir, you’ve come late, and already you wish to leave. I’m confused. If you had another appointment, why wouldn’t you just cancel and refund the money?”

The therapist calls the company and hands me the phone.

Therapist: “Ma’am, please raise a complaint with the company, and I’ll do the same. I’ll let them know the client was unavailable.”

Me: “Umm, the client was here. You got here thirty-seven minutes late.”

The person on the phone replies.

Employee: “No, ma’am, I dropped the therapist off at 9:30. The appointment says the ETA is between 9:00 and 9:30 pm.”

Me: “Okay, but he got here at 9:37.”

Employee: “That’s not possible. I dropped him outside your house within the time bracket.”

Me: “Right, I’m not denying that. However, he walked into our house at 9:37, and at 9:45, he declared that he had another appointment to get to. So you should tell your company to refund the payment.”

Employee: “The therapist was not late. The client is unavailable. What proof do you have that the therapist came late?”

Me: “I have cameras at the front door with a time and date stamp.”

Silence…

Employee: “Ma’am, please reschedule, and I’ll raise the complaint for the refund.”

Many years ago, I rented a two-story former store in Ireland. I worked there all day for long hours. Half the time, I took on graphic design and web projects on the upper floor, and for the other half, I worked as a physiotherapist on the lower floor.

For reasons I can’t explain, my design clients always paid their invoices on time. Always. But my physiotherapy clients were nearly always late in paying or quite often refused to pay their invoices at all.

I had one client who had suffered from a chronic condition for many years. I treated him successfully, and finally, I sent him an invoice.

He sent me a letter in response.

Client: “Thank you so much for your intervention. My life has completely changed thanks to you. I’m back at work, I’m playing golf again, and I just feel so much better. Thank you for your help. However, I will not be paying this bill. Sorry.”