Scratching the Surface

“Is it our turn yet?” “No, but it shouldn’t be much longer.” My children and I have this conversation every time we go to the doctor’s office. Ten minutes can feel like an hour when you’re sitting there waiting for your turn. I try to tell them to be patient, meanwhile, I’m frustrated because I’m listening to people get called before us when they just got there. I’ve worked in hospitals and doctor’s offices, so I understand that they triage patients, but some of these people look like they’re feeling better than we are. The only thing that helps pass the time is the direct tv for lobby that they recently added in the waiting room. They used to have the basic local channels, but kids don’t want to watch the news, and I don’t want them playing with the toys in the lobby because I always figure that a sick kid was just playing with them, and we don’t need to bring home any more germs.

My mother-in-law had surgery last year and had to spend a few days in intensive care. Children under 13 aren’t allowed in ICU, so my girls had to sit in the waiting room. I was thankful that they had direct tv for hospitals because my girls weren’t as scared to be at the hospital when they were watching their favorite shows. My oldest daughter still remembers the shows that were on while they were waiting. It helped to turn a scary experience into a comfortable one where they felt like they were in a familiar setting.

I feel the same way about my favorite shows. No matter where I go, I never feel far from home when I’m watching my programs. It can also help ease the tension in a business environment, because all of a sudden, total strangers start talking about the show that’s on. If you work in a business where clients or customers frequently have to wait, or if you know of a business that could benefit from satellite TV, check out http://www.dishbusiness.com/index.shtml or share this link with a business in your area.