I arrived early for my appointment with my ophthalmologist. Due to Covid, check-in was in a different spot in the office. There was a stout, tattooed lady sitting behind the counter. I said to myself, don’t fat shame, don’t tat shame, but I had a sense about her that I felt was right. When I stood behind the counter, she kept attending to her task. No problem, I am retired, I have time.
She reminded me of women I sometimes met when going to Juvenile Hall to do psychological evaluations. They put you to the test to ensure you knew they were running things and you had no clout. If you didn’t play the part subtlety assigned, you might be on hold for a long time. Conform and pass go.
Finally, the woman looked up and, in an unfriendly tone, asked my business. Suddenly I was a stranger in a Western Saloon in 1877. Where is Clint Eastwood when you need him? After explaining my reason for being there, I had an appointment; she sent me back to the waiting room.
In a few minutes, a masked man beckoned me to follow him. He told me who he was, but between my poor hearing, his mumbling, and our masks, he might have wells as been speaking Swahili. He gave me an eye test, dilated my eyes, and sent me to another waiting room. Later I was summoned to see the doctor and his scribe. Poor dilation resulted in more drops and another 15 minutes in a waiting room.
When I returned to see the doctor, he asked me, “What are you here for?” This opening statement is not a confidence builder as he sets the frequency and agenda of appointments. Finally, he figured it out by looking at his notes, and the examination proceeded. Eye work has become hi-tech, with numerous machines and gadgets coming at you left and right. However, I am always amazed when a lot of weight is given to the age-old “cover your eye and read the letters with the other.” It’s like taking a model ford to drive from Boston to New York. It gets you there, but is that the best way to go?
At the end of the different tests, he gave me a summary, scheduled another appointment for three months, and was off to another consulting room.
That is an experience not worth another go. You deserve better David!