No comedy in poor timing

We’ve heard them all before but it’s still fun listening to them. The car wouldn’t start. (Who believes that nowadays?)

The roads were so busy. (Who doesn’t believe that?) My daughter was unwell. I had to take my mother to hospital. The dentist was running slow. And so on and so on.

All the excuses that clients give for being late, for being just 10 minutes past the end of surgery time.

Yes, we understand. It happens to us all. (Though to some people far more than most.) Take a seat and someone will see you as soon as they can.

The receptionist sighs and begins the long, lonely, guilty march to the prep room where the veterinary and nursing staff have already begun the day’s surgical procedures.

They know those footsteps well and understand exactly what they mean.

The nurse relaxes, cuddling the sedated patient, which was on the point of being anaesthetised, in her arms.

Her experience tells her things might be delayed a few minutes. The vet sees the awkward, embarrassed look on the receptionist’s face and opts not, this time, to shoot the messenger.

It’s Mrs X, again. She’s sorry she’s late, again, but Cuddles is being sick, again.

The vet blinks, already realising the day’s plan, along with her lunch hour, is already ruined. But what can you do?

Inevitably, she follows the receptionist, who retraces her steps to her desk while the vet peels off to a consulting room.

It has already been cleaned after morning consults and that process will now have to be repeated, as it so often is.

Cuddles looks the same as always – healthy, purring and content. His badly matted coat is groomed, removing the dead hair that so often causes him to vomit a hair ball. But you can never take for granted that this is the problem.

Mrs X is grateful, as she always is, but makes the mistake of confiding in the vet that she always tries to come in at this time, as she gets seen so quickly.

Our professional makes a mental note to tell the receptionist this is the last time leniency will be shown. But in her heart she knows it won’t be.

Oh, we’ve heard all the excuses. The problem is, we know some are true.