Veteranary Tolerance

I received a notification from the VA that I have an appointment Thursday morning.  I thought I was finished missing work (after today).  I tried to check online, but the website has been down all day.

So, since I was here, at the VA, missing work, I asked the information desk.  The guy there said, "I don't know about Thursday.  All I see is something for the 20th."

I was about to walk away, when I grabbed him by the collar and pulled him across the desk, and asked very pointedly, "The 20th?"

"Y-yes."  He sounded frightened for some reason.

"Thursday, the 20th?"

"Yes, Ma'am."

"That's the day I'm looking for.  What is it about?  Where is it?"

"All I can see is it's in The Clinic."

"Just, 'The Clinic'?"

" Yes, Ma'am."

I let him go so he could change pants and proceeded to travel to every clinic in this gosh-awful place until I found one that could look it up.  "It's in the Women's Clinic."

"Are they still open?"

"Yes, until 4:30."

I walked 12 miles to the women's clinic, and found the doors locked.  It was 1615 (4:15 PM, for those of you who neither served nor learned to fake it while telling time).  So I walked outside and traveled 8 miles to the outside doors.  Also locked.

I tried the phone number, which has never worked as long as I've been able to dial a phone.  I called the main number, chose the option for "Primary Care" and was routed back to the main number, as always.  I selected the option to speak with a humanoid, and was routed to the main number, as always.

I briefly considered setting myself on fire in the lobby as a warning to others, but decided that would hurt.  Also, I didn't have any matches.  Now, I have to decide... do I come in Thursday morning and miss work and not even know why I'm coming in?  Or do I ignore it and pretend that I care as much about them as they do about veterans?

If it's actually important, they'll call me to reschedule, right?