I did a post on ‘everybody‘, some time ago. Now it is time to cover ‘everyone’. Ahhh.. some will be tearing their hair out wondering what’s the difference between ‘everybody’ and ‘everyone’. Keep tearing away. I’m gonna give a story about ‘everyone’. Read it or leave it. What do I care. It is my blog and I can write what I want! I require no audience. I write for me!
So – the story is located in Leeds. I went there on 24th June 2021, to a ‘centre’ to get my second Pfizer covid jab. Seriously – is it that important why I was in Leeds? Chrysst! This is why I can’t get on with writing my blogs properly – some fool wants to butt in an ask nosey questions that have no real importance to the story.
Pfizer shot
Right – so in two telephone conversations on 23rd June – they call me – and arrange an appointment i.e. 14:00 for 14:10PM. I was sent a text message to confirm. I confirm by a link from the text message, then got another text re-confirming and telling me that if I can’t attend I should call. All that sounds simple – so what’s this go to do with ‘everyone’? Well, you’d just have to wait – or just leave now!
I got to the centre at 13:45PM. I see a queue of about 20 people. Some geyser – a bouncer in fluorescent jacket – approaches me and asks if I’m here for a shot. I goes, “Yes – I have an appointment for 14:10PM“. He goes, “They don’t do appointments here, you can join the queue.” So, I’m like ‘Wut?’. Anyways to avoid a scene, I join the queue – 20 min wait, to get into the building. As I get to the top of the queue, I ask Mr Bouncer, “So, the text message doesn’t matter?“. He replies, “Yes.”. I like ‘yes’ – it is short and sweet. I got ‘processed’ and about 15 min later had my shot.
In between all this I’m WhatsApping a mate, about this. ‘O’ is not identifiable and it simply doesn’t matter who s/he is! Chrysst! This is how it went.
[14:04, 24/06/2021] Captain Walker: Morons! Why give me an appointment by text for 1400 then when I get here some bouncer looking geyser tells me ‘sorry there are no appointments here today. Join the queue’? ??
[14:05, 24/06/2021] O: That’s what everyone has to do. Welcome to the NHS.
[14:07, 24/06/2021] Captain Walker: I am not ‘fawking-everyone’!
[14:07, 24/06/2021] O: You are now!!
[14:09, 24/06/2021] Captain Walker: I might be treated like everyone. They individualised the appointment. I didn’t. They could treat everyone like shit. Not me!
[14:10, 24/06/2021] O: The appointment is only a general indication.
[14:13, 24/06/2021] Captain Walker: They can treat everyone like cattle. Not me!
[14:14, 24/06/2021] Captain Walker: That makes me arrogant as far as everyone is concerned.
[14:22, 24/06/2021] Captain Walker: I’ve now been processed like ‘everyone’. I feel like cattle! The individuality offered to me as a human being, stripped away. I’m now a number in a herd!
What does it mean to me?
I think it is insulting to treat someone as an individual by giving them an appointment time (confirmed by text) and then treat them like ‘everyone’. Eh? Everyone is not an individual – do I need to explain that? Probably – but I won’t.
There is an idea in the minds of people, that if one is being treated equally to ‘everyone’, then that’s fine.
But in the conversation above ‘The appointment is only a general indication‘ is not what was said in the text message! People introduce their own slant and knowledge on things. Sorry – or tough – I have the facts and I’m entitled to rely on them especially after going through two conversations on the phone and two text messages confirming the precise appointment time.
No spitting!
Right – so while I was waiting, filling out forms I saw this sign. For those who are visually or ‘brain-impaired’, it said ‘NO SPITTING’. I’m sure somebody is having an urge to explain it to me; that ‘It’s nothing personal‘, and give me some yarn about ‘cultural context’ that I already know about. Hellooooo – I was not born this morning!
Is that sign for everyone? Yes – because it is meant to be seen by everyone. But note that it is written in English, and with no other languages if one was about to allude to the sign being aimed at some cultural subgroup who was not English-speaking. Yes – I get it – no need for other languages, when the infographic indicates ‘no spitting’.
Okay – so I was among ‘everyone’. The treatment, the forms, the sign – everything was set up to serve everyone. I have no problems with that. Shall I repeat that? Yes I will. I have no problems with that.
What I do have problems with:
- treating me as an individual by setting up an appointment.
- taking away the appointment and treating me as if I’m cattle, who might spit on the floor.
It’s not fair, and I’m not changing my mind! End of!
Disclaimer & Guidance
The reading of posts on this blog is subject to the Terms & Conditions. Unpalatable truths and personal experiences may be told. Nothing posted on this blog is directed at any identified person. On occasions individuals are quoted anonymously. That does not mean that they have been identified to the world. Should any person or organisation reading this blog find something that makes them feel or know that they are being referred to – any such perceived identification does not mean ‘identified to the world’. ‘Stupid‘ is an impish figment of my imagination who occasionally is allowed to pop up – and does not represent any known individual, individuals or groups. The treatment of ‘Stupid‘ is not representative of the way people are treated in real life. Adverse inferences made are dismissed in advance.
