Caring, or (No) Lack Thereof

Today, I'm going to educate you, the masses, on a theme that appears quite a bit, especially in an emergency setting. I can usually tell that a conversation is going to have this theme when I hear the following buzz words:

really adorable
so nice
the sweetest little thing
rescued her
can't pay now
have no money

They may possibly be arranged in a quickly spoken paragraph resembling the following:

Last week I rescued these two really adorable, cute chihuahua puppies. They are the sweetest little things, but now they are vomiting and I have no money, so I can't pay you now!

The part about no money is usually said a touch aggressively, as if challenging us to say no, daring us.

If the CareCredit thing won't work out, it really leaves me without options. It's a sad fact of the world that money is required for services. At a vet, it's not like in the human medical field where they are somehow obligated to provide service (check me on that, ppl with the knowledge?). At a vet, whether or not you feel that Fluffy is a true member of the family, a child in every sense but the human DNA sequence, we are not obligated to provide service merely because Fluffy is ill.

Even more so, I am not the one providing the service. That is the doctor. The doctor who has spent years of their life and 100k on schooling, putting themselves in debt for years, and hospital supplies which would then come out of a paycheck. The only way they would do anything is if I LIED to them and told them payment had gone through.

It is not as you seem to think. That I took this job solely to sabotage your pet's health.

So when you call with the following, understand that I may be less than sympathetic.

Me: Vet Hospital, this is Redgirl.

Her: (insert sad statement about a chihuahua puppy)!

Me: It does sound like you should come in if you can. It is $138 to be seen on emergency.

Her: One-thirty-eight?!  Can't you guys bill me or something? Do a promissory note?

Me: I'm sorry. We take payment up front.

Her: So if I can't pay, you're just going to let my dog DIE?!

Okay, I'm sorry. I feel for your dog, but it's really your lack of financial planning that is going to let your dog die, if that's what ends up happening. Owning an animal is a big responsibility, not just the food you buy it. They are like having a child, and you have to plan ahead. 

Me: I'm sorry.

Her: All you people care about is money!

Me: Oh, have you found a power company that accepts smiles and good will in exchange for products and services? I didn't know there were any out there! (Well, that's what I wished I could have said. Sorry, things cost money. Actually, I just stayed quiet.)

Her: You guys are all just f**king pieces of sh**!

Me: (Silence. Really, what could I say?)

Her: You know what? F**k you!

(click)


There was a group of employees chatting at the front desk. I walked over to them and said, "Just so you guys know, we're ALL f**king pieces of sh**."

Then they made me tell them the story.

See, when you abuse someone for something they can't do anything about anyway, you're really just sucking any sympathy and goodwill I might have towards you, not even making me wish I could do something to help you. When you yell and curse at me for your own lack of preparedness, you're really just creating a story I tell my colleagues.

You're really just writing my blog for me.

So by all means, carry on.