Attitude 14

"Sir, there is call for you from Dr. XXXX" my Registrar told me in our busy antenatal clinic. That was the head of department of a superspecialty. I took the call. "Is that the head of obstetrics gynecology?" asked a woman's voice, which was clearly of not the person whose call it was supposed to be. "Yes" I said. "Dr XXXX would like to talk to you" she said and put me on hold. I waited. A minute passed, then two. The same silly music continued. Finally I put down the phone and went back to work. After a couple of minutes the woman called again. "Hello" I said. "Is that the head of obstetrics gynecology?" she asked. "Yes" I said. "Dr XXXX would like to talk to you" she said and put me on hold again. This time the said person arrived in a minute. "Sorry I detained you" said the said head of department, "I want you to see a patient. When shall I send her?" "Send her to my outpatient clinic next Monday" I said. "Fine. Thank you." Two Mondays have passed since. No such patient has come to see me. In the meantime I told this story to a couple of our staff members. "For his own work he keeps you on hold?" said one "You should have put him on hold yourself." "I could not. Perhaps it was some important work." "You should have got an intern to hold the phone until he came. Then the intern would have called you." "I could never get myself to get other people to something for me like this" I said. "If he wants to appear to be grand, let him. It is his problem, not mine. Next time he repeats this stunt, I will disconnect the line until he calls me myself."