La Dulce

I drove a couple to a doctor's appointment in a neighboring city yesterday. The man has had some health problems, but also a little bit of something like dementia, or onset of alzheimer's. I dropped them off at about 9:00, and we planned to meet at 12:30 after his last appointment.

I went to a nearby mall to shop, and also to some thrift stores, but when I got back at 12:30, the doctor hadn't even seen him yet. They told me that they had overheard that another person had waited 4 hours one day to be seen! I asked them if they would like me to ask the secretary at the desk about their appointment. They said yes, so I told the secretary his appointment was at 11:30, and wondered how soon they would be seen. She said, "There are still a couple of people ahead of him." HUH? Wow....that is inefficiency.

The man was getting anxious, and at one point, got up and wandered away. His wife was afraid he would make a scene, so didn't get up to follow him. I worried that they would call his name, so I went looking for him. I found him on the next floor down, looking a little lost and confused. I coaxed him back upstairs, but he was still anxious.

On our way to the appointment, he had turned to his wife and said, "Mama, la dulce." She told me that she had promised him a little piece of candy. I think it was a bribe. ;) So as he sat there getting anxious, I asked his wife if I could give him a piece of sugar free gum. She acted so relieved, and enthusiastically said yes. He happily took it, and it kept him busy for awhile. It's sad, but it did remind me of a little child.

Finally the wife got up and talked to the receptionist again. She told her they needed to leave. She knew her husband wouldn't last much longer before he would start getting upset. That did the trick, and the doctor came out and told them they couldn't leave, that they needed this appointment, and she ushered them right in.

It just goes to show that sometimes a little sweetness goes a long way, but sometimes as little bit of sour does too. :)