Sometimes I can be too nice

I am tired. Today was an exhausting day. It rained in the morning so we had to keep the kids inside. Then it cleared up and we were able to go out, but the kids were hyper. And it was cold. I know, I know, fifty one degrees is not cold for most people. But for us it is cold. We don't dress for the cold. I had on a thin long sleeved T-shirt and a jacket. Some of the kids wouldn't wear a sweatshirt at all. Why is it when I ask a five year old to put on a sweatshirt they act like it is torture? Anyway, after a long day at work I headed to my appointment with the psychiatrist. I arrived there at four. My appointment was at four-fifteen. He was running a half an hour behind, as usual. Normally it would bother me if a doctor was continually late, but he is so wonderful and he always spends extra time if I need it, so I don't mind. Anyway, I was sitting in the waiting room when a man came in and went up to the receptionist. When she informed him that the doctor was running late, he became very upset, saying that his wife was meeting him there and she would NOT be happy, and furthermore he had to be somewhere at five-thirty and he would never make it if he didn't get in on time. The receptionist told him she was sorry and that he could reschedule if necessary. He didn't want to do that. His wife walked in a few minutes later, and she was fuming mad(he had called her on his cell phone and told her they might have to reschedule). She argued with the receptionist for a few minutes, saying how busy she was, and how hard it was for her to get off work early to come to the appointment, blah, blah, blah. Again the receptionist apologized, but told her there was nothing she could do. The woman asks her husband to step outside with her, which he does. They then proceeded to have a huge fight right outside the door. He wanted to reschedule, she didn't. The came back inside a few minutes later(it was cold out there) and continued their argument. The doctor comes out to get me and I tell the couple, you go ahead. I know you are in a hurry and I have plenty of time. They thanked me profusely and went into his office. I continued to sit by the fake fireplace/heater they have, and read a magazine. I was the only one in the waiting room and it was quite peaceful. Until the door opened and a woman with a toddler walks in. A cute little blonde haired boy, about two years old. Maybe slightly younger. Now let me just say that I have a nephew, and he has always been what we call an "active" child. You know, always on the go, getting into things. Well let me tell you, this kid was like my nephew on crack. Seriously. He was running around the room taking all of the magazines off of the shelves, pulling the tissue out of the box one by one, holding down the spigot on the water cooler until the overflow chamber was, well, overflowing, spilling water all over the carpet. Every time his Mom tried to stop him from doing one of the above things(by saying in a sing song voice "Uh-Oh, we better not doooooo that!") he would SCREAM. A bloodcurdling, high pitched scream. It was lovely. This went on for a half an hour, and the fighting couple was still in with the doctor. I was getting tired and this child was giving me a serious headache. At one point she said to him "Pleeeeeeeease sit down and read a story with Mommy?" Uh, not. He proceeded to mess with the C.D. player, and then moved on to smashing the vertical blinds against the window. Loudly. That mother must have had the patience of a Saint, because she sat next to him reading a magazine! It had been forty minutes at this point and I had to get out of there. I told the woman she was welcome to go next and I was going to the bathroom. Actually I went for a walk around the parking lot. That child was giving me serious anxiety. She gratefully accepted my offer and I quickly left. When I came back they were still in the waiting room! Fifty five minutes later! I was about to reschedule my own appointment when the doctor came out to get me and I told him once again that I was letting someone go ahead of me.
That woman was in there for twenty minutes and that child escaped from the office three times. Actually escaped and came running out into the waiting room, screaming like a banshee! Finally, finally they came out and it was my turn. I was in there for my normal fifteen minutes, and headed home exhausted, arriving home at six o'clock. Sheesh, sometimes I can just be too nice. All is well now. My belly is full of chili and I am off to take a hot bath. I'm tired and will be going to bed early tonight.