There are some things that really get my goat!

Okay. It is Thursday, January 21, 2010 and I welcome you to my most recent peeve. The origin of the phrase used in the title is hard to nail down. Some think it dates back to when a person had only a goat for milk and when it was stolen it became a real source of anger. Others think it might have to do with horse racing from the past. It seems that each horse at one time had its own goat to accompany it to help to keep it calm and when someone wanted to impact the outcome of the race they would steal their opposition’s goat, leaving that horse to his own devices. I can’t be sure how the phrase originated but I do understand the sentiment, up close and personal. I’ve most likely shared the following aggravation before, therefore, for those who want to change channels, go ahead. You can, instead, tune in to the White House pundits spinning so hard the results from the Massachusetts senate election that they are creating a kaleidoscope of lights and mirrors. That doesn’t interest me one bit but if it appeals to you, go for it!

Yesterday I went for my six-month interview with my doctor. I call it an interview anytime I go and there’s no examination. He only got as close as a handshake but that’s not to say we didn’t have a really animated and informative conversation. I have no problems with that part of how things went. However, my appointment was scheduled for 7:45 a.m. I, like a good little boy, showed up at 7:30 a.m., making certain I accommodated any traffic delays. The staff started coming in shortly after 7:30, one at a time. They all had to pass right by me. There I was stuck out in the hall, no place to sit. First patient of the day, and they didn’t open the door until 7:55 a.m. Have you ever seen those wavy lines coming off the asphalt on a 100 degree day? I was generating some pretty decent steam by the time I had my blood pressure checked.

It was only elevated slightly, no thanks to those dragging around on a Wednesday morning. And, what’s up with folks coming to work looking like they are sleep walking with their mega sized Starbucks sloshing all over the place? Adding insult to injury they have rules posted about potential penalties for missing appointments. Why does this bother me? Most people have busy schedules, every day. Taking the time to make sure you are on time is a very important thing to me. I am, after all, a customer, and this means they should be doing their best to serve their customer. They were supposed to be open and they knew I was there. I could go off on my doctor but it’s not easy to do since he is the one I am working with to manage my diabetes, and thus far we are doing a good job. We used to have a music minister who had as his watchword this saying: Being on time means being early. I feel better now having shared this with my readers. On second thought, maybe the spinning game from Washington may not be such a bad choice. Have a great day and may God bless each one! Amen. ….More later.