Life is Like That

I dont know if you'all in the States get Readers Digest or not but let me tell you, this little pocket book magazine is a waiting room staple in doctors and dentist office's across the Great Canadian Nation!

It is a collection of entertaining stories, news, recipes, home projects, money matters, health, fitness and my personal favorites, "Life's like That" and "Laughter is the Best Medicine", two columns that are written and sent in by every day folks like you and me. 'Laughter is the Best Medicine' is usually simple straight forward jokes while "Life's like That" is cute stories about life's little idiosyncrasies and every day ironies.

I have a "Life's Like That" and a"Laughter is the Best Medicine" combo story to share. This actually happened quite a few years ago. I still blush when I think of it....

One miserable winter day I found myself waiting in a walk-in-clinic (a doctors office that requires no appointment, you just walk in, leave your name and then *insert sarcasm* wait an hour or two to see a doctor. Health care in Canada is free but rarely speedy.)

Anyways, there I was, sick with heaven knows what, cooped up with a bunch of other people also sick with God knows what, the lot of us just about as miserable as they come. It seem to remember that I had that kind of body ache that makes your bones throb, a feverish chill and a head that leaded like a sieve. I was tired, irritable and to top it off, I hate, and I do mean hate any kind of waiting room. The only saving grace in this particular office came by way of an endless supply of Readers Digests. I also seem to remember that when I came in to the office there was a line up of people waiting to leave their names- an elderly gray hair lady, a tired looked woman with a fussy and obnoxious toddler at foot and a healthy looking middle aged woman. There were maybe ten people all total waiting to be seen so I settled in and expected an even longer wait than usual.

A half hour passed by quickly, then an hour as I patiently flipped through one Digest after another... more patients pored in and took their seats. Another tired look mom with two kids came in, the kids squealed, cried and fought with each other incessantly, each sound was like a dagger in my head. Then there was this teenage boy who came in and blushed a scarlet red when the receptionist called his name... More people came, and went. After an hour I started to fidget and pay closer attention to who was coming and going. An hour and half later I ran through my last thread of patience and the last copy of Readers Digest. It was right about then that I noticed that same teenage boy coming out from seeing the doctor... For the next 10 minutes I watched...and become increasingly annoyed as each of the people I clearly remembered coming in well after me made there way out the door...

Finally, I had it! I threw my Readers Digest down on the table and stomped up to the receptionist's desk. I imagine that my face would have been flushed with anger....my voice quivered with rage.... I indignantly hissed through my teeth....

"Ex-cuuuuuse ME! But I doooo believe that you must have skipped my name on the list!! I came in before that teenager and WELL before that lady with the two kids! And... and... *insert finger waving, neck bobbing, pissed off female body language* I have been waiting for nearly TWO hours!!! I am sick and I am tired. And I want to see a doctor NOW"

The receptionist looked up at me and simply said....

"Uh... well.... I am sorry but, you never did come up to the desk or give your name. I saw you come in and sit down but I just assumed you were waiting for someone. I am sorry but I have just been so busy, I kept meaning to come over and ask you what you were waiting for..."

It was then that I remembered how I was too tired and sore to stand in line and leave my name... that I thought I would just sit down a minute and wait for it to clear.... that I had then picked up a Readers Digest and lost myself in the world of "Life is Like That" and "Laughter is the Best Medicine".... and forgot that I wasnt on the list at all...

What could I do but apologize profusely and share in the receptionist's laughter.... because...

Life is like that.

And laughter is the best medicine for a bad case of humiliation!