Delinquent

Am I a bad person for missing my son's doctor appointment today?

Truth be told, this is the second appointment I've missed THIS WEEK. The other appointment was for me, so thankfully, the medical field doesn't realize this. Otherwise, I'd probably be in the stocks reserved for thieves, murderers, and appointment-missers in the town square.

Who knew missing a doctor's appointment classified one as a delinquent? Had I known that, perhaps I would have taken measures to ensure my timely arrival (or perhaps not).

When I called to politely inform the receptionist that we were running late and would she prefer that we come in late or reschedule, she immediately stamped me with the label "no-show" and went on about $20 fees and 24-hour notices. She continued by informing me that if this was my first offense, then there would be no charge, but if there had been any incidents since May 2010, I would be charged $20.

Thank goodness I'm only a FIRST-time offender! (I think...I hope so, anyway)

I wonder what happens after missing 3 appointments...? (Don't worry, I think I'll just be more timely next time or pray for God to give me the gift of prophesy so that if I'm going to wind up running late that day, I'll be able to give them their required 24-hours notice.)