Won’t Be Seen But Definitely Heard

(A call comes in a little after 4 pm:)

Customer: “How do I get to your office? We were up by [Hospital] and we didn’t see your building…”

Me: “Ah, we’re actually not near them. But I can get you here from there!”

(I then give them the most complete directions I can for a trip that should only take perhaps fifteen minutes at the most. They thank me and ask if we will be able to see them that day. I assure them that as long as they can get here before five, we can. I’m under the impression that they will only be a few minutes. As time goes on and they don’t show up I assume they have just decided ‘forget it; I’ll go home.’ At a few minutes after five, before I have a chance to even lock the doors for the evening, a troop of three people walk in: our lost patient, expecting that she can get in that day.)

Me: “Ma’am, I’m so sorry, but we’re actually closed—”

(The customer’s husband shouts over me, loud enough that the nurses later tell me they could hear him.)

Customer’s Husband: “No! Don’t you listen to her. She told you you could get in! You said she could get seen today!”

Me: *trying to keep my temper* “Actually, sir, what I said was as long as you came in before five pm we could see you.” *to his wife* “I’m sorry, ma’am, but as we’re closed for the day you’ll have to reschedule.”

Customer’s Husband: “No! YOU SAID SHE COULD BE SEEN TODAY! DON’T YOU LISTEN TO HER. YOU’RE GONNA BE SEEN!”

Me: *deciding I can’t fight stupid* “Let me go check with the doctor, and see if we can fit you in.”

(When I got back to the nurse’s station, I managed to catch the doctor coming out of the last patient’s room, and upon explaining the situation he agreed – we wouldn’t bend the rules. When I got back up front to explain the situation, the lady was very polite and understanding, willing to reschedule her appointment to later the next week, while her husband stood back behind her declaring the whole time that we would be seeing her that day because we had said we would. That was the only time I’ve ever had someone argue the closing time with me, and I really hope it doesn’t happen again.)