Only in New York is it both perfectly acceptable and downright unacceptable to be late. Case in point of the latter...
(5:11pm, girl enters reception area, panting)
Girl: I am here for my appointment
Receptionist: (eyebrow raised) What time was your appointment?
Girl: 5:00. I am soooo sorry I am late, I got stuck in a meeting and I couldn't get a cab and I literally RAN up 6th Avenue 15 blocks to get here. But I'm here, it
happens...apologies.
Receptionist: (eyebrow still artfully raised, picks up phone and dials out) Yes, your 5:00 is here...(quickly hangs up the phone)It looks like I am going to have to reschedule your appointment.
Girl: WHAT? No...that's not possible. It was nearly impossible for me to get this on the calendar, and I have no more free days in the next couple of weeks before I get married...and I have to have this appointment today. PLEASE.
Receptionist: We have a ten minute policy. You are beyond 10 minutes late. I am going to have to reschedule you.
Girl: Wait, are you serious?? (Looks at the clock on the wall, watches as minute hand strikes the 12). I am under two minutes past your ten minute mark; in fact, when I walked in here, I was probably 30 seconds or less past your ten minute mark. And after all I went through to get here, you are telling me you can't take me???
Receptionist: That's what I'm telling you. But I can reschedule you for Friday at 9am.
Girl: That's not going to work for me. We are going to have to figure this out. When you call to confirm my appointment with me two days ago, maybe this "10-minute policy" would be relevant information to share, considering the hectic lives of New Yorkers and the unpredictabilities of life/work/transport, dontcha think? I have never been to a single doctor's appointment where I was seen exactly at my appointment time. There is always, without fail, a minimum wait time for patients of 15-30 minutes. And the one time I show up late to an appointment, all of ten minutes, and you are telling me I have to reschedule? Let me speak to the doctor please.
Receptionist: (Sighs audibly three times before picking up phone and dialing doctor again) She says she can't reschedule, she is here now, there are no other appointments here, and she wants to see you. Yes, yes, I told her she was past her ten minute mark. Yes, I know, she's crazy. (girl stares back in shock) Uh huh, uh huh...okay, I'll send her up. (hangs up phone) The doctor will see you now.
Girl: Wow, is this the kind of trick like when you want to convert to Judaism and you get turned down three times before the Rabbi will see you and talk conversion?
Receptionist: Raises eyebrow again and stares at girl.
Girl: Hmm. Guess not. Okay, thank you very much.
Girl: I am here for my appointment
Receptionist: (eyebrow raised) What time was your appointment?
Girl: 5:00. I am soooo sorry I am late, I got stuck in a meeting and I couldn't get a cab and I literally RAN up 6th Avenue 15 blocks to get here. But I'm here, it
happens...apologies.
Receptionist: (eyebrow still artfully raised, picks up phone and dials out) Yes, your 5:00 is here...(quickly hangs up the phone)It looks like I am going to have to reschedule your appointment.
Girl: WHAT? No...that's not possible. It was nearly impossible for me to get this on the calendar, and I have no more free days in the next couple of weeks before I get married...and I have to have this appointment today. PLEASE.
Receptionist: We have a ten minute policy. You are beyond 10 minutes late. I am going to have to reschedule you.
Girl: Wait, are you serious?? (Looks at the clock on the wall, watches as minute hand strikes the 12). I am under two minutes past your ten minute mark; in fact, when I walked in here, I was probably 30 seconds or less past your ten minute mark. And after all I went through to get here, you are telling me you can't take me???
Receptionist: That's what I'm telling you. But I can reschedule you for Friday at 9am.
Girl: That's not going to work for me. We are going to have to figure this out. When you call to confirm my appointment with me two days ago, maybe this "10-minute policy" would be relevant information to share, considering the hectic lives of New Yorkers and the unpredictabilities of life/work/transport, dontcha think? I have never been to a single doctor's appointment where I was seen exactly at my appointment time. There is always, without fail, a minimum wait time for patients of 15-30 minutes. And the one time I show up late to an appointment, all of ten minutes, and you are telling me I have to reschedule? Let me speak to the doctor please.
Receptionist: (Sighs audibly three times before picking up phone and dialing doctor again) She says she can't reschedule, she is here now, there are no other appointments here, and she wants to see you. Yes, yes, I told her she was past her ten minute mark. Yes, I know, she's crazy. (girl stares back in shock) Uh huh, uh huh...okay, I'll send her up. (hangs up phone) The doctor will see you now.
Girl: Wow, is this the kind of trick like when you want to convert to Judaism and you get turned down three times before the Rabbi will see you and talk conversion?
Receptionist: Raises eyebrow again and stares at girl.
Girl: Hmm. Guess not. Okay, thank you very much.
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1 comment:
Tardy is as tardy does... folks. If you arrived late for one of my appointments, I would not have seen you either.
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