Whoa! Didja get the numbers off that truck?!?

May 28, 2004 - 9:25 p.m.

No free parking

Son2 complained. He had a fever of 101 on Tuesday, stayed home from school on Wednesday. He felt okay on Wednesday but with a residual sore neck and headache. It lingered on to today. Spidey The Bitch called today and said his teachers were making worried noises, about spinal meningitis. So I took him into the doc center to quiet their fears, and mine. This is one of those enormous doc centers with all the trimmings.

The malpractice insurance situation in this state is a full on crisis. The docs can hardly afford to practice. Pardon me if I don't exhibit enough sympathy, doctors are a hard working and dedicated lot, but I find it hard to imagine a destitute doctor. Sell the Pings on Ebay and trade the Bimmer in on a Malibu. When it becomes difficult to make the mortgage payment each month (like someone else I know) then we'll talk.

This doc center has become very political about the malpractice insurance crisis too. They have a lot at stake. They have posted up copies of several articles run in the local paper about it in the waiting room. They've put up huge signs in the front yard of this place in the past, calling attention to it.

I don't know if this is related to it, but there was a signboard in the lobby area, and this is what it said:

I'm not sure what this fee was supposed to accomplish. Perhaps they were starting a Destitute Doctors Fund? Perhaps this was a symbolic gesture; as in "we're passing the insurance cost on to you." It seemed silly nonetheless. As I was writing the check for my co-pay, the girl at the counter asked me where I parked. I said "What exactly is the right answer to that question?" She smiled, so did the woman behind her. She said "Well, you probably didn't know about it so I'll let it pass." She probably thought it was a stupid idea too. I told her there were definite advantages to parking on the street. I can only imagine the crap she takes from irate customers regarding this policy.

If the kids got sick more often, I'd find a new doc center. With free parking.

the last one -*- the next one