Very Bad Reception, Part 14

(My old cat is clearly unwell and is refusing to eat. I call my vet’s office as soon as it opens to make an emergency appointment. The receptionist is female.)

Receptionist: *speaking so fast it’s all slurring together* “[Vet]. Can you hold, please?”

Me: “Sure.”

(At this point, instead of hearing hold music, I hear a man’s voice start talking. I think this is the customer she was on the line with before I called, but as I’m pulling the phone away from my ear, I hear…)

Man On Phone: “But I mean I haven’t spoken to the guy in like seven years, so it’s kind of awkward, you know?”

Receptionist: “Oh, I know. Like, you know how awkward things are with my family. I haven’t talked to my sister in, like, three years and then she calls me and I’m just like, ‘what do you want…'”

(I’m holding the phone further from my ear still, trying not to eavesdrop, but I keep bringing it back to check that she’s not talking to me when I hear the female voice and this conversation keeps going for a few minutes. I’m starting to get irritated that the veterinarian’s receptionist blew off a person worried her cat could be dying to have a long, meandering conversation with what sounds like her boyfriend about something that is neither time sensitive nor an emergency. I’m finally about to speak up and embarrass them when a second receptionist picks up the line.)

Receptionist #2: “Hi, have you been helped yet?”

Me: “No… and you might want to tell your coworker how to use the hold button, because I know way more about her and her friend’s awkward family situation than I ever wanted to.”

(I don’t know yet what’s wrong with my cat, but at least the second receptionist helped me make my appointment after she finished laughing. It took all of two minutes.)