I had already registered with the Veterans Administration Health Care Clinic in Harlingen through the Cameron County Veterans Service Office months ago, hut had not made an appointment to go there.
In fact, I had not had not felt the need to use the free health care services since my honorable discharge from the U.S. Marine Corps in the mid-1970s. I felt those who suffered combat-related injuries or disabilities should have priority over others. But now a cataract was growing in one eye and I could not afford the care.
I had tried to call the Harlingen Clinic, but was put on hold. It was almost 1 p.m and I had been on hold going for half an hour when I was passing by the county office on Madison and decided to ask the workers there if this was normal.
When I pulled in the parking lot, there was a slight drizzle and I saw some of the staff cars pulling in from lunch I looked at my watch. It was about 12:50 or so and I walked over to where the staffers' cars had pulled in.
"Do you work with the veterans' office?," I asked one.
"Yes, but I'm in lunch hour," she said.
"Yeah, but I just wanted to ask if I could make an appointment here or whether I have to go to Harlingen to the clinic and make it there...," I started to tell her.
"I'm off the clock," she snapped, and placed the key into the lock of the back door to the office.
"What?," I asked, unbelieving. ""What is your name.?"
"Cano," she said. "Christina Cano."
"But I thought you were supposed to help veterans..," I started, and the door shut in my face.
I walked back to my car in the cold drizzle and hung up the phone. As I pulled out onto Madison and was getting to Seventh Street, my cell phone rang. I did not recognize the number, but answered anyway.
It turned out to be a dispatcher from the Veterans Clinic in Harlingen who apologized profusely for the delay in answering my call.
"Just go to the clinic and tell them what your health problem is and they will make an appointment for you to get care. Again, I apologize for the long wait. It never should have happened," she said.
I wonder. Will I also get an apology for the curt treatment I was afforded by the county veterans service officer staffer?
I'm not holding my breath.