PEOPLE REPELLENT - Part II

Okay, it's later this afternoon (not really, but relative to the previous post, it is).

I had to get some cash, so I decided to go to an ATM. The place I went had three machines in a row and since they were all being used, a single, first-come-first-served line formed in front of the row. I was second in that line.

Just as the person in front of me went to the next available ATM, a rather large man stepped in front of me. He actually walked up and STOOD RIGHT IN FRONT OF ME!!!!!

Well, you must know me by now, so.................

"Excuse Me", I said. "The line is behind me", and I pointed over my shoulder.

Just then, a machine opened up and he very snottily motioned to it and said "I thought you were going to use that one".

What an ass, I thought to myself as I approached the first machine in the row. He went to the third one, which very quickly became available.

As I was going about my business, I faintly heard someone say, in a rather threatening manner, "Did you say something to me?".

I ignored it and continued on. Then it became louder. "Did you say something to me?". It was him. The guy who cut in line!

I turned to the woman next to me at the second ATM machine and asked her if he was speaking to her or to me. She said she didn't know, and looked a little concerned to be standing next to him. So I looked up at him and there he was - staring at ME. Then he yelled again, "What did you say to me?"

I said "Do I know you?"

"No", he snapped.

"Then why would I be talking to you? Do you know me?"

"No, I don't know you", he snorted.

"Then why are you talking to me?" I asked (or yelled, at this point). I turned to the woman between us and very obviously asked her if she heard me say anything to the man. She just as obviously said she did not, so I was quite comfortable telling the guy to just shut up and leave me alone.

Thankfully, I was done with my banking business and walked away.

Now I ask you, how does this guy cutting in line in front of me make me the bad guy? Really, how stupid is that?

And since he was hearing MY voice in his head, maybe he was just NUTS!

I guess it's a good thing, then, that I decided not to make a snide remark about that bald spot starting to appear on the back of his head.

It seems it was just a "people repellent" kind of day for me.

PEOPLE REPELLENT

Sometimes I feel as though I emit a sort of "people repellent", where despite putting my best foot forward, people just respond to me in a very negative way. Now, I understand that sometimes the things I say don't always come out the way I think they did, or the way I wanted them to, but many, many times (and my husband has witnessed this) people just respond to me negatively - from the get go!

Case in point:

Yesterday morning I had my annual mammogram. I arrived on time, changed into my gown, picked up the clipboard and started filling out the required form when the technician called my name. I asked her if I could finish the form and she told me no, I should sign the bottom because she wanted me to come with her now.

Wow, I thought, this woman means business!

As I entered the procedure room, she identified herself as Regina and told me to remove my glasses (I wear them around my neck). I apologized for having forgotten them and chuckled about how my generic drug store brand glasses weren't nearly as pretty as the glasses she was wearing. Her glasses truly were classy and sort of matched her hospital scrubs. I liked them and told her so. Anyway, after asking me the questions on and filling out my pre-signed form, we began.

OMG!

Now, ladies and gentlemen, this is where I have to tell you that if you ever have to have a mammogram by a technician named Regina, RUN!!! RUN AS FAST AS YOU CAN!!! DON'T LOOK BACK!!! JUST RUN!!! It just might be the same woman.

Okay, so this test is a no brainer for me (or for most of us women, actually). I've had it every year for about 30 years. It's usually chilly, inconvenient, and a little uncomfortable, but we tolerate it in the name of good health. So, imagine my surprise when...

"OWWWWW", I exclaimed as I pulled my arm away from the machine. "You can't do that!"

"What?", she asked.

"You jammed my underarm into the corner of the machine and it really hurts!", I informed her. (it's now bruised and quite tender and shouldn't be).

She very clinically explained how the test can be uncomfortable, to which I responded that I've been familiar with this test for 30 years and have never had that happen. Thinking, at that point, that it probably wasn't a good idea to piss off the person who had my 'tits in a wringer', so to speak, I shook off the experience and we moved on, again, very clinically.

After the test, I fully expected her to advise me to sit in the waiting room while she confirmed the quality of the films, but instead, to my surprise, she started yelling at me. Actually YELLING at me!

She stated, "In my entire career, I have never hurt anyone. ANYONE!".

I told her that she could no longer say that, now could she?

Then she decided she had to qualify her statement by saying ,"In my entire career, I have never INTENTIONALLY hurt anyone" and then went on to say that I accused her of doing just that -intentionally hurting me. I tried a few times to tell her that I never accused her of trying to hurt me, but couldn't get a word in edgewise. She was just so beside herself with emotion. She even went so far as to ask me how I thought it made HER feel to be accused of something I never accused her of!

As I said before, WOW. How could this woman possibly think that any part of this test was about her?

I felt it best to just leave. So I opened the door and walked out on her tirade. In doing so, I saw another employee standing close by (obviously listening to the goings on in the room) and asked her if I could speak with a Charge Nurse.

I was immediately - literally within a few minutes - taken into a private office with the Charge Nurse AND the Department Supervisor. They were sympathetic with my situation, took a very detailed report and assured me that this incident would be dealt with. The Supervisor gave me her card and told me to call her before my next exam to make sure it was performed by someone other than Regina.

I felt better. Not great, but better.

I only felt great after I got home, called John and told him what had happened. You see, he came home from work and had lunch with me. I'm so fortunate to have him.

Yeah, life was great again - until later that afternoon when ..................