Waiting room hell

Earlier this month, my wife was having surgery on her wrist and hand. The surgery was in an outpatient surgical center and was going to take two to three hours. 

I eyed up the waiting room closely and sat far away from the the large-screen television stuck on some home improvement show and the other seats. I just wanted a spot where I could be far away from everyone else, drink my coffee, and be alone with my thoughts. 

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Playing the waiting game

Of course, a few minutes after I sat down an older woman having a procedure and her acquaintance, sat in the two seats next to me. I groaned to myself. You have to sit here?

I suppose I could have taken them sitting there quietly, but right away they started talking. They were so loud it was impossible not to pay attention. They were talking about their vacation plans to the Outer Banks later in the summer, the local weather, and the recent problems a cousin encountered with her air conditioning.

If I had wanted, I could have easily joined in on the conversation. In fact, I almost chimed in with a HVAC guy for them to call and my own thoughts on my own upcoming vacation. “Yes, I’m looking forward to my trip to the beach in a few weeks, the house we rented is supposed to be out of this world.”

Thankfully, the older woman was called back for her procedure and the other woman went back with her. At least temporarily, I was saved. (If they had stayed another five minutes, Evil Brian might have sadly made an appearance. It’s probably best to keep him behind lock and key.)

Bothered by a lack etiquette

When my wife is with me, she yells at me to not be so rude. I don’t mean to be. I can’t explain it, but I was born with a keen sense of space and pubic etiquette. I’m bothered immensely by people sitting too closely or talking too loudly right next to me. I’ve always been overly aware of loudness in public places.

Now I love to people watch, but when I want to be alone, I want to be alone. As my luck would have it, I got to listen in as a woman, two rows over from me, talked on her phone. I swear I’m not making this up. She was definitely from out of the area and was trying to clean up some mess with her work.

A part of me could understand, but I was also a lost for words. All she had to do was take the phone outside and have a long conversation to her heart’s content. But, no, we all learned that Joe in Accounting has an attitude problem and that Georgette is Operations is working to fix her team’s efficiency issue and if things don’t get any better, she’s going to be fired. I feel so much better knowing all this, don’t you?

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Shaking my head

I’m always struck by people who sit next to me when I’m being quiet. Why sit next to me? You have all the choices at your disposal, why decide that the perfect spot is right next to me, the nice bald headed guy, to have your very private conversation? Does my face look inviting? Do I need to give myself a scar to scare people away?

The problem too is that I tend to avoid conflict. I hate having to lecture others on common courtesy and having to tell others to keep it quiet. Darned idiots! (See you can’t let Evil Brian out for one moment!)

What about you? How do you handle these situations?

And oh yea, how was my wife? She was out like a light, thanks to the anesthesia, and she didn’t have to worry about a loud waiting room or people sitting next to her. Yea, yea, her surgery went well too.