Yesterday, I had a doctor's appointment scheduled in Hartford. I haven't been to a doctor in years, aside from a couple minor lindyhop-related injuries, so due to my busy schedule I set up an appointment at an ofice in Hartford, where I work.
When I got there, I found the place sketchy. It wasn't dirty. It wasn't full of obvious addicts. But I was very uncomfortable. Why? For one, I was the only white person there. The fact that race should play into my take on the situation at all bothers me, but I have to admit that it made me uncomfortable. I felt out of place. The people there were Hartford residents, rather than commuters like myself. It seemed to be a high-volume office, and the people behind the counter seemed to be in no rush to attend to anyone who stood waiting at the window to sign in.
While I certainly would never have claimed to be of the belief that people of higher income should receive better medical care, or even better service leading up to a doctors' visit, I couldn't help but feel that this wasn't the treatment I was accustomed to at a doctors' office. And that feeling bothers me. It's probably the only reason I'm writing now.
I suppose my conclusion is that all people deserve timely service and high-quality medical care. A pity that the real world isn't like that. After a 45 minute wait, I left that office, and didn't reschedule an appointment.