Thursday, May 19, 2005

Mysterious Benefactor

I had a bit of a shock today. Last week, I went to the opthamologist for an exam, and had to pay some on my account for some tests that I had run back in the winter. I was not given a follow-up exam that day, because I still owed on the last batch. It struck me odd, and I openly questioned, why Lasik surgery, a vanity procedure for the most part, could be had on time payments, when something necessary for me could not be paid for over time. I didn't have enough to pay for the $65 office visit that day, so I signed a promissory note that I would pay it within the next week. Today was the day to pay the piper.

The lady at the desk took my check, and entered the info into the computer. She made an odd frown, then looked up at me and said, "What is this payment for?" My visit last week. "What is your birthdate?" I told her. "Just a moment...I don't see a balance that you owe." But I owe that and a bunch more for previous tests. "I'll be right back", she said, and took my check with her to the back part of the office where the huge file cabinets are and conferred with another person back there out of my sight and earshot. She was gone about a minute.

When she returned, she handed my check back to me, and smiled. "Your bill is paid."

I was dumbfounded. No way. I have no medical insurance. How can this be? Who paid my bill? She smiled again, and said "We can't release that information." I asked one more time if she was sure she had the right account, and she assured me she did. I turned away, went into the restroom and cried for a good five minutes.

It's late at night now, and I still don't know who came to my rescue. It wasn't my ex-husband, although he continues to be very friendly with me, does not pay my bills. I asked my cousin, who would possibly do it, but he didn't know who my doctor was, and he denied it too. No one else knows the details that lives around here. If I find out, I'll put it here later. But, until then, thank you, whoever you might be. I will pay it forward when I can.

2 comments:

Northmoony said...

You've got a very good friend somewhere, Alice... :-)

Darediva said...

Yes, I do. I just really would like to know who to thank.