I wish he'd had said it!

[DaysOfPineAndRoses]

I cancelled a non medical appointment because a huge commitment came up and took precedence.  Think 'legalities" (someone else's not mine)

The first appointment was Tuesday and I called Friday to cancel it. The person wasn't in and I left a voicemail message.


As it turned out, the huge commitment was resolved on Monday, much to my everlasting relief.

Mr. Original Appointment called later Monday to reschedule.   I made the mistake of asking if the  appointment was still available.    I had not intended to, but as long as he was on the phone, I took a shot at it.

He said "I can't remember when it was, because it was covered in White  Out and given to someone else."

A simple no would have sufficed.  That hurt my feelings then and still does every time I think of it.


"I'm afraid that won't be possible" would have been much appreciated in this case.

[AdakAK]

I'm not sure why your feelings were hurt.  You canceled the appointment, they took your name out and gave it to someone else.  That's not anything negative against you personally.

[PaintingPastelPrincess]

I think it was worded in a snarky manner on the part of Mr. Original Appt., but I wouldn't let it bother you, OP.  This is why phrases like "I'm afraid that won't be possible" are encouraged, though; not only do they not engage SS, they are a much nicer way to say the same thing in many cases.

[Shoo]

Way to make you feel important, right?  Maybe his sensitivity chip was on the fritz.

[rashea]

I don't see this a major screw up on his part. I might not have phrased it that way, but I don't see this as saying you aren't important. If you took whiteout to my schedule this week and asked me to fill it back in I couldn't do it, so why should they be able to do it?

[DaysOfPineAndRoses]

I just wish he'd rather have said just plain no, than throw in the snarky remark.

It was unnecessary.

[caranfin]

It wouldn't have hurt my feelings, but it was certainly not very customer-service-oriented on his part. Why couldn't he just say "I'm sorry, it's not available?"

[MDefarge]

I think you are overreacting - do you really expect him to just "know" when/who is scheduled for every single appointment without having it written down?  He wasn't rude - he told you that the appointment had been whited out and he wasn't sure which was yours originally to me that just means he has many people trying to make appointments with him.

[DaysOfPineAndRoses]

Irishone, I didn't expect anything from him except a yes or no.

[MDefarge]

Irishone, I didn't expect anything from him except a yes or no.

Unfortunately many people have been "trained" by others that "just" a yes or no is not an acceptable answer, that they must explain themselves - that's probably what he was thinking - especially if in the past he's had others harasses him about why some appointment times weren't available.

[Minmom3]

Maybe we had to hear his tone of voice to understand why you're hurt at his words?  Because, on the face of it, I see what he said as factual (mostly) - it HAD been covered in white out, it had been given to a new person (BUT he could easily figure out what time it was, even if truly covered in white out, appointment books aren't mysteries to figure out, for Pete's sake).  Things change and you lost your appointment slot, but got another one, so not truly a huge deal, right?  It resolved itself eventually?  You did the right thing to cancel early, thinking you wouldn't be able to make the time slot, and as a result lost it and couldn't get it back.  He DID overshare though, he should have left it that it had been taken already.

[DaysOfPineAndRoses]

Well, I perceived he was being sarcastic. 

I have yet to reschedule.  At the time of the initial phone call, I was rescuing items from a condemned building and not in a position to write anything down.

But that's a whole different story.

[PaintingPastelPrincess]

I cancelled a non medical appointment because a huge commitment came up and took precedence.  Think 'legalities" (someone else's not mine)

The first appointment was Tuesday and I called Friday to cancel it. The person wasn't in and I left a voicemail message.


As it turned out, the huge commitment was resolved on Monday, much to my everlasting relief.

Mr. Original Appointment called later Monday to reschedule.   I made the mistake of asking if the  appointment was still available.    I had not intended to, but as long as he was on the phone, I took a shot at it.

He said "I can't remember when it was, because it was covered in White  Out and given to someone else."

A simple no would have sufficed.  That hurt my feelings then and still does every time I think of it.


"I'm afraid that won't be possible" would have been much appreciated in this case.

The way I interpreted the bolded part above (my emphasis) was pure sarcasm.  I don't know what the common practice for the guy is, but being able to identify that a) it was covered up and b) it was given away, indicates that he knew when it was and was being snarky in his reply. 

OP, can you clarify a point for me?  Did you give him the date before he made his comment?  That would help me to clear things up.  If you didn't give him the time (so he could check the book and actually see if it was available) then he probably did know when it was, and was being rude.

[BettyDraper]

Well, I perceived he was being sarcastic. 

I have yet to reschedule.  At the time of the initial phone call, I was rescuing items from a condemned building and not in a position to write anything down.

But that's a whole different story.

Did you just generically ask for your original appt. or did you specify "I was originally scheduled for June xx, 2009 at Xx:00 hour; is that by chance still available?"   

If the former, I don't see where his response could possibly be construed as sarcastic.  He's not a mind reader.  After all, you were the one who canceled the original commitment, so if anything he's the one with the right to feel put out.  He's fortunate to have been able to fill the abandoned slot. 

[EagleEye]

I cancelled a non medical appointment because a huge commitment came up and took precedence.  Think 'legalities" (someone else's not mine)

The first appointment was Tuesday and I called Friday to cancel it. The person wasn't in and I left a voicemail message.


As it turned out, the huge commitment was resolved on Monday, much to my everlasting relief.

Mr. Original Appointment called later Monday to reschedule.   I made the mistake of asking if the  appointment was still available.    I had not intended to, but as long as he was on the phone, I took a shot at it.

He said "I can't remember when it was, because it was covered in White  Out and given to someone else."

A simple no would have sufficed.  That hurt my feelings then and still does every time I think of it.


"I'm afraid that won't be possible" would have been much appreciated in this case.

The way I interpreted the bolded part above (my emphasis) was pure sarcasm.  I don't know what the common practice for the guy is, but being able to identify that a) it was covered up and b) it was given away, indicates that he knew when it was and was being snarky in his reply. 

OP, can you clarify a point for me?  Did you give him the date before he made his comment?  That would help me to clear things up.  If you didn't give him the time (so he could check the book and actually see if it was available) then he probably did know when it was, and was being rude.

But maybe his appointment book is littered with white-out with other people's names written on top?

Maybe this is a "you had to be there to hear it" to understand.  That and not knowing what the nature of the appointment was (say, for a job interview, it would bug me too to be told "it was whited out and given to someone else.") makes the situation unclear.  Maybe OP can elaborate?