Cell Phone Wall of Shame - The Phlebotomist

Time for another entry on the Cell Phone Wall of Shame - and another paramedical professional, sad to say. I went to the Maccabi Health Service in Mitzpe Ramon for some standard blood work I get done twice a year. The phlebotomist was a youngish woman in a long black skirt with her head covered - an observant Israeli woman. I should have been alerted when she approached me needle in hand and ungloved. I made a half-serious gesture to ask her to put on gloves which she just shrugged off, or perhaps she just didn't understand me, since she spoke no English.

My brother, who is a doctor, tells me that not gloving is her problem, not mine, since it is she, not me, who runs the risk of infection. Still, it made me uncomfortable. While she was drawing the blood, her cell phone started ringing clamorously. I wondered if she would stop in the middle of collecting my blood to answer her damned cell phone. But no, she let it ring annoyingly through until it stopped. But immediately after drawing my blood, and while she was still filling out the work sheet on the computer, she called her caller black and started a pleasant chit-chat, no doubt more important than giving full attention to working with me and my blood.

As I was about to leave she gave me a piece of gauze to apply pressure to the crook in my elbow, but when I asked her for tape to hold it in place she indicated there was no need. I sarcastically asked her if she would wash the shirt if I got blood on it. Let me tell you - sarcasm does not work when delivered in a language the listener doesn't understand. I ran into Pam as I was walking out, she coming in to have her own blood test, and told her this story and showing her my elbow, which sure enough, had started bleeding. I went back to the phlebotomist and this time insisted on a piece of tape for the gauze, which she reluctantly gave me.

I complained about her being on the phone to the front desk and they said they'd tell the manager, but did counter with the lame excuse, "Well, she has a lot of children." Huh?

Maccabi Health Center in Mitzpe Ramon

 

Cell Phone Wall of Shame

Israelis have a special relationship with their cell phones. They are always on them. Wait...I know...everyone you know is always on their cell phone. But not like Israelis. Some Israelis are on their cell phones even when they are doing business with you.

Case in point: We were going to an orthopedic shop to get an orthotic for Pam's foot, which is still suffering from foot drop.  The man who was fitting the orthotic was on his cell phone THE ENTIRE TIME he was working with her, and this despite the fact that she was obviously distressed about having to get the orthotic in the first place and the fact that it didn't fit very well. When I suggested that perhaps he should allow her to walk around a bit to see if he could get it to fit better, he stalked out insulted since he said it would take a longer time to wear in to see how it would fit. Gee, I never walk around in new shoes to see if they fit, do you?

In any case, when I challenged him on using his cell phone ("Who were you talking to that was more important than us?" "Did someone die in your family?") he got very huffy and sarcastic. ("Enjoy your trip." Did he think we were tourists because I had a camera around my neck?) As we were leaving (I stormed out of the place which, by the way, was a real dump) we ran into a little, old bubbie lady walking in. She had twinkling eyes and a bright smile. On the off chance she might understand English, I said to her,

"Don't go in there. They are very rude."
"Why," she replied, "what did they do?"
"The man in there was on his cell phone the entire time he waited on us."
"Oh," she laughed, "Everyone in Israel does that."

Everyone in Israel does that! Well, not if they want to do business with me. Not if they are  a medical professional performing medical services for me or my family.

Just before Shabbos I had my regular call from Uncle Rafi to see how things were going. I told him this story, which I was still exercised about, and he said to me,

"Well, you're right and they're wrong but let me tell you this. I was once in a meeting with a man we wanted to start a business partnership with, and he was on his cell phone during the whole meeting talking to his wife and friends about a BBQ they were going to have."
"I would have walked out."
"We didn't do that but we ultimately didn't do the partnership."

Herewith I begin the Cell Phone Wall of Shame to call out those who are so rude that they think the person on their cell phone is more important to talk to than you. And while they are doing business with you, no less!

Establishment: "Ha'mercaz L'Briut Ha'regel"; The Center for Foot Health
Location: Old City; Be'er Sheva
Phone: 08-675-6555
NOT RECOMMENDED

Sign for the Center for Foot Health (top right), Old City, Be'er Sheva