Customer Service

In a previous life I worked in the customer service field. I dealt with people all of the time, nice ones and mean ones.
Today I became one of the mean ones. May I just ask why it takes an act of Congress to get what I need? Seriously, when something is legally mine, why is it so ridiculously difficult to take possession of it?
I'm told by a representative of this office to come in to pick something up, it will be ready in an hour. Okay, I take their word for it and drive several miles to the office. I am met by an inept woman who has no clue what to tell me about my request. However, she did produce the folder I needed but wouldn't allow me to have it. She said someone had just left for lunch and I would have to wait for their return.
In the meantime, the inept woman carries my folder around with her like it's public property and left it on the counter.
Now, I could have been bad and picked it up and walked out the door with it without anyone even noticing it was missing. But, I was still giving the benefit of the doubt that I would walk out in possession of said folder.
An hour later, I was confronted with yet another woman, rude and distasteful as she was, and told there is no way I can have the folder, she may be able to get to it by Wednesday or Thursday, if not then, next week some time.
I told her that wasn't good enough, I needed it today before I left. Now, hold on to your ears folks, because this is exactly what she told me... ready?
"You must realize we're doing you a favor by even copying this folder and there is no way you can have it this week."
I demanded to talk to her manager - you know, the one who had left for lunch an hour and a half previously.
Then, this is good, I was escorted to a private room where I had to wait for this manager. Must be I was causing a scene in the lobby or they thought I was going to anyway.
The manager is someone I have known for some time. She was not nice to me at first, I explained the situation and demanded that she do something about getting my personal property to me. She explained her plight of being understaffed. I must had had my "Who cares" look on and she told me, "I know that's not your problem."
Okay, I could have the pages I need faxed to the office it needs to go to this afternoon and she would do that personally.
I left without the folder but with that promise. Guess what, she called to explain yet another problem that I need to attend to.
Doctor's offices can be so frustrating.