Exchanges with People that Make Your Brain Hurt

[Hollymom1229]

So I'm currently updating my passport with my married name (married 8 years and first time travelling out of country in that time). While going through the process I was reminded of the story my sister told me when she was getting her first one issued a few years back.

My sister called the Department of State hotline for passports with a few questions. The lady (aka SD Lady) on the other end of the line was asking a few clarifying questions. She asked my sister where she had been born and that's when the madness started.

Sister: Puerto Rico
SD Lady: I'm sorry but you were born outside of the U.S.
Sister: No, Puerto Rico is a territory of the U.S.
SD Lady: No, Puerto Rico is its own country, and people born there are Puerto Rican, not U.S. Citizens.
Sister: While they are Puerto Rican, they are also American Citizens, because Puerto Rico is not it's own country, but a U.S. Territory.
SD Lady: That doesn't sound right.
Sister: Look I was born at the military hospital at Roosevelt Roads in Puerto Rico while my dad was stationed there during his time in the Navy.
SD Lady: Oh, you were born at the military hospital, well that's fine then.  You can be born in another country as long as it's at the military hospital.
Sister: *facepalm* I actually have to run to a meeting, I will call back later.

Five minutes later I get a call from my sister relating all of this.  She unfortunately had not gotten the woman's name so she couldn't report her for her woeful lack of knowledge.

Does anyone else have stories of exchanges where your brain just hurt as a result of the discussion.

[QueenofAllThings]

Yesterday at the fish market. I was buying cod.

I commented on the mini crab cakes, and the fishmonger says:

FM - "Yeah, I just got mini cod cakes and I'm sending 'em back."
Me - "Why? I LOVE cod cakes!"
FM - "I know - right? They're awful!"
Me - "No, no. I LIKE them."
FM - "And they're more expensive!"
Me - "Wait - what? More expensive than crab cakes?"
FM - "No, of course not".

His partner was cracking up ....

[Reason]

I met a young lady in college who asked me where I am from as I have a slight accent. I told her that I am from Russia. Without skipping a beat she immediately asked "Oooh, where is that?"

I know it wasn't particularly polite but I said "Ok, you open the world map, find the biggest thing there, and that's Russia."

Still hurts my brain a little when I think about it.

[Dr. F.]

So I'm currently updating my passport with my married name (married 8 years and first time travelling out of country in that time). While going through the process I was reminded of the story my sister told me when she was getting her first one issued a few years back.

My sister called the Department of State hotline for passports with a few questions. The lady (aka SD Lady) on the other end of the line was asking a few clarifying questions. She asked my sister where she had been born and that's when the madness started.

Sister: Puerto Rico
SD Lady: I'm sorry but you were born outside of the U.S.
Sister: No, Puerto Rico is a territory of the U.S.
SD Lady: No, Puerto Rico is its own country, and people born there are Puerto Rican, not U.S. Citizens.
Sister: While they are Puerto Rican, they are also American Citizens, because Puerto Rico is not it's own country, but a U.S. Territory.
SD Lady: That doesn't sound right.
Sister: Look I was born at the military hospital at Roosevelt Roads in Puerto Rico while my dad was stationed there during his time in the Navy.
SD Lady: Oh, you were born at the military hospital, well that's fine then.  You can be born in another country as long as it's at the military hospital.
Sister: *facepalm* I actually have to run to a meeting, I will call back later.

Five minutes later I get a call from my sister relating all of this.  She unfortunately had not gotten the woman's name so she couldn't report her for her woeful lack of knowledge.

Does anyone else have stories of exchanges where your brain just hurt as a result of the discussion.

An employee of the *STATE DEPARTMENT* who doesn't know that Puerto Rico is a U.S. Territory? A *STATE DEPARTMENT* employee??!?!?! I'm....flabbergasted. really. That's making my brain hurt at several removes.

I've naturally had the argument with several post office employees about needing international postage when sending something to New Mexico <sigh>, and one really inspired person who spent about an hour arguing with me that there is no Ontario, California, I must mean Ontario CANADA. No, sorry. It's 30 miles east of LA. I had to pull out a map for that one.

[Animala]

I was also born at a military hospital although in Texas.  I can't even tell you how many people think El Paso isn't in the US, so don't feel too bad. 

My youngest sister has MG and as a result cannot have magnesium at all.  (It intensifies the symptoms which can be deadly particularly for someone already sick enough to be in ICU.)  Also about 20 years ago my other sis was in the hospital and was accidentally given an overdose, but since she wasn't hooked up to anything no one would have known it if the family hadn't been there until it may have been too late.  Since then we have a strict rule of having someone with you in the hospital.

A few years back my youngest sis was in ICU after her latest crisis and was in very bad shape.  The nurse brought in a bag of magnesium in her drip.  We always check meds before they are given and when she told my sis what it was she told the nurse she couldn't have it and why.  The nurse insisted and my mom had to actually step up to step in front of her to stop her!  So not long after the hospitalist came in to find out why my sister was refusing treatment and belligerent.  After my sister explained why, which really she shouldn't have to explain what meds she can and cannot take to the dr, he was extremely apologetic and they switched her to a different nurse.

[Pinky830]

A comment from a pet owner many years ago..."Wow, vets sure are expensive! Y'all should lobby for pet insurance!"

There were so many things wrong with that statement, I didn't even know where to start. Pet insurance already existed (it wasn't as common then). Insurance doesn't make the cost magically disappear. But most of all, if you want something to happen, you don't lobby [the government] for it. You start it, as in a business.

All of those thoughts logjammed in my head at once, and I just said, "Mhm."

[Fleur-de-Lis]

So I'm currently updating my passport with my married name (married 8 years and first time travelling out of country in that time). While going through the process I was reminded of the story my sister told me when she was getting her first one issued a few years back.

My sister called the Department of State hotline for passports with a few questions. The lady (aka SD Lady) on the other end of the line was asking a few clarifying questions. She asked my sister where she had been born and that's when the madness started.

Sister: Puerto Rico
SD Lady: I'm sorry but you were born outside of the U.S.
Sister: No, Puerto Rico is a territory of the U.S.
SD Lady: No, Puerto Rico is its own country, and people born there are Puerto Rican, not U.S. Citizens.
Sister: While they are Puerto Rican, they are also American Citizens, because Puerto Rico is not it's own country, but a U.S. Territory.
SD Lady: That doesn't sound right.
Sister: Look I was born at the military hospital at Roosevelt Roads in Puerto Rico while my dad was stationed there during his time in the Navy.
SD Lady: Oh, you were born at the military hospital, well that's fine then.  You can be born in another country as long as it's at the military hospital.
Sister: *facepalm* I actually have to run to a meeting, I will call back later.

Five minutes later I get a call from my sister relating all of this.  She unfortunately had not gotten the woman's name so she couldn't report her for her woeful lack of knowledge.

Does anyone else have stories of exchanges where your brain just hurt as a result of the discussion.

An employee of the *STATE DEPARTMENT* who doesn't know that Puerto Rico is a U.S. Territory? A *STATE DEPARTMENT* employee??!?!?! I'm....flabbergasted. really. That's making my brain hurt at several removes.

The TSA employee who didn't recognize a military dependent ID left me as flummoxed - and utterly contemptuous of the TSA overall.  Nor have various reports of bullying and inanity made me feel any better about the agency.  Google catheter, breast implant, 6 year old, etc. and you will see what I mean. 

Yes, I recognize those are all statistical anomalies.  They are also appalling, egregious systemic failures.   

[Kimblee]

I was also born at a military hospital although in Texas.  I can't even tell you how many people think El Paso isn't in the US, so don't feel too bad. 

My youngest sister has MG and as a result cannot have magnesium at all.  (It intensifies the symptoms which can be deadly particularly for someone already sick enough to be in ICU.)  Also about 20 years ago my other sis was in the hospital and was accidentally given an overdose, but since she wasn't hooked up to anything no one would have known it if the family hadn't been there until it may have been too late.  Since then we have a strict rule of having someone with you in the hospital.

A few years back my youngest sis was in ICU after her latest crisis and was in very bad shape.  The nurse brought in a bag of magnesium in her drip.  We always check meds before they are given and when she told my sis what it was she told the nurse she couldn't have it and why.  The nurse insisted and my mom had to actually step up to step in front of her to stop her!  So not long after the hospitalist came in to find out why my sister was refusing treatment and belligerent.  After my sister explained why, which really she shouldn't have to explain what meds she can and cannot take to the dr, he was extremely apologetic and they switched her to a different nurse.

Your poor sister! That is just awful!

[violinp]

My pastor was preaching a few weeks ago and said one of the Beatles was Paul Harrison. I don't even like the Beatles, and I knew that was so, so wrong.

[lowspark]

I used to work with a woman from Alaska. She was constantly amazed at how many people didn't know that Alaska is a state.

Recently I was with a friend as she was closing out an investment account shortly before moving out of state. There was a question about whether her current representative would be able to help her or not based on which state she would actually be living in at the time the transaction was completed. He at first insisted he was not licensed in the state she was moving to and would therefore have to turn her file over to someone else to handle. On the visit where I was with her, he then said he actually WAS licensed in that state. This guy was rude and flaky on lots of counts so when he said this she was a bit taken aback and asked for proof since he clearly didn't know where he was licensed and where he wasn't. He got all huffy and said, "There are fifty-some-odd states! I can't remember all of them!"

We looked at each other and I mumbled something about how I was under the impression there were exactly fifty states.

We still joke about that!

[Miss Misery]

I used to work with a woman from Alaska. She was constantly amazed at how many people didn't know that Alaska is a state.

You'd be surprised at how many many don't know New Mexico is a state.   

***

I used to be friends with a gal who could not remember names to save her life. We had this conversation more than once:

Her: "I saw this great movie last night."
Me: "What was the name of it?"
Her: "Uh....I don't remember."
Me: "Well, who was in it?"
Her: "That guy....you know...that guy who was in that movie with that other guy...."
Me: *bangs head against the nearest wall*

[Dr. F.]

I was once asked on a flight from LA to Honolulu where one could change money. Um, you're not leaving the States, you know?

[Luci45]

I had to tell the nurse when I was in the hospital that I had to take my thyroid pill on an empty stomach. She really did keep pushing me. Please, nice lady, just go  look it up! I don't expect you to know everything, but trust me when I've taken this med for 3 years!

Then there is the US congresswoman who said she would understand the problems that Arizona is concerned with if it were a border state.................Yes, a US Conresswoman. I don't care what your politics are, just understand the geography to begin with.

"There are fifty-some-odd states! I can't remember all of them!"

We looked at each other and I mumbled something about how I was under the impression there were exactly fifty states.

We still joke about that!

Whoa! 50-some odd? Are you smarter than a 5th grader? I guess not. We learned all the countries in Europe and South America and the US states and capitols, the Australian states and all of the Canadian provences in 5th grade. We missed Africa and Asia, or I was out those days. We should have learned Mexican states, too, but I would be very careful before I said anything.

Yes, my heart and brain hurt.

[Sirius]

Years ago when I worked in a military hospital records section I had to do a bunch of paperwork to get the minimum security clearance necessary for my job.  I did fine until I got to the section about my spouse; Mr. Sirius was born in Britain, but at an Air Force base to parents who are U.S. citizens so he is a U.S. citizen by birth.  The paperwork only had two categories for foreign born spouses - resident aliens and naturalized citizens.  There was nothing in the paperwork about foreign-born U.S. citizens.  I came to a complete halt.  I told my boss why I couldn't finish the paperwork, so she contacted the security people and told them what was happening.  Meanwhile, they're nagging me to finish the paperwork, and I can't, even going so far as to threaten to pull my security clearance so I couldn't do the job I was doing. 

Finally, about two weeks later, my boss informed me that the paperwork had been fixed, and I finished it.  What amazed me was that, with all the people in the military who have had children overseas, no one thought to include a category for family members who are foreign-born U.S. citizens.  Mr. Sirius, who was an active duty military member at the time, told me he ran into the same thing when he had to do the paperwork.   

[Pinky830]

I was also born at a military hospital although in Texas.  I can't even tell you how many people think El Paso isn't in the US, so don't feel too bad. 

My youngest sister has MG and as a result cannot have magnesium at all.  (It intensifies the symptoms which can be deadly particularly for someone already sick enough to be in ICU.)  Also about 20 years ago my other sis was in the hospital and was accidentally given an overdose, but since she wasn't hooked up to anything no one would have known it if the family hadn't been there until it may have been too late.  Since then we have a strict rule of having someone with you in the hospital.

A few years back my youngest sis was in ICU after her latest crisis and was in very bad shape.  The nurse brought in a bag of magnesium in her drip.  We always check meds before they are given and when she told my sis what it was she told the nurse she couldn't have it and why.  The nurse insisted and my mom had to actually step up to step in front of her to stop her!  So not long after the hospitalist came in to find out why my sister was refusing treatment and belligerent.  After my sister explained why, which really she shouldn't have to explain what meds she can and cannot take to the dr, he was extremely apologetic and they switched her to a different nurse.

When DH had his sinus surgery, he told a nurse he was allergic to morphine. I don't remember whether she was about to give him some, or just asking if he had any drug allergies. In any case, she responded with a skeptical look and said, "Are you sure? What happens when you have it?"

"It makes me itch all over. I'm telling you, I'm allergic to it."

She didn't push it after that, but I was annoyed. He said he's allergic to morphine, end of discussion.