Storytime Tapestry Newsletter

The newsletter devoted to spreading love and cultural awareness throughout the world.

Special Treat – From Me!

November 22, 2006

Who Is Doctor Hart?

Carol Roach

Many of us have embarrassing moments in our life that would like to forget. But heck being goofy or fouling up is a part of human nature. Sometimes we forget that we are not perfect and silly goof ups happen.

I was 17 years old and straight out of high school when I landed my first job in an insurance company. I started out as a filing clerk. Though I didn’t mind starting at the bottom, at least I was smart enough to figure out that I had to make my way up the ladder. I was very concerned about my image. I wanted to make sure everyone saw just how intelligent I really was. I did everything that I could to engage in intelligent conversations with my superiors. I was out to make an impression!

Oh, I made an impression for sure, but not the one that I had hoped for. You see, I was the filing clerk responsible for the Underwriting and Policy issues Departments located on the sixth floor. The insurance doctor’s office was also there. The good doctor had a private practice and I rarely got any mail to deliver to him since most was delivered to his private practice. I knew his name was Doctor Rosenblatt, and I had seen him on several occasions talking to the underwriters. I also knew or thought I knew he was the only insurance company doctor at the time.

Occasionally when I opened the mail there would be mail for him, but as I said before, that was extremely rare. Sometimes I would get mail that had been misdirected and was meant for someone on another floor as well. When that happened, since I was new to the company and the job, I would ask Orest, my immediate supervisor, who this person was and what floor did I have to send the mail to.

One day I was sorting through my mail and I came across a letter addressed to Dr. Hart. Now I know that Doctor Rosenblatt was the insurance company doctor, and I was not sure if there was perhaps a doctor on another floor that I did not know about so I asked Orest about Dr. Hart.

“Dr. Hart there is nobody by that name working here.”

“Well I got a letter addressed to Dr. Hart.”

“And it was addressed to this address and this insurance company.”

“Yep.”

“Ray, do we have a Dr. Hart working here?”

“No Orest, Dr. Rosenblatt has been working here for seven years, and before that it was Dr. Menard and he must have worked here for seventeen years or more.”

“Then who is Dr. Hart? Carol, bring over that letter and let me see it.”

I gladly brought the letter to him as I was interested in how the mystery would unfold.

“Carol this doesn’t say Dr. Hart it says Dave Hart. He is the actuary on the fifth floor.”

My face burned from embarrassment as I endured the laughter from Ray and the other underwriters.

I was teased for about a week after that. Orest would ask me if there was any more mail for Dr. Hart and Ray and the others would check the mail I gave them in front of me to make sure I wasn’t delivering someone else’s mail to them.

So much for first impressions, I wanted to appear oh so grown up and intelligent, instead I came across as being illiterate or close to it. I still did a good job for them, despite the embarrassment, because I remained their filing clerk for six years before I was promoted and began working on another floor.

Carol Roach

winterose@videotron.ca

A Native of Montreal, Quebec, Carol is a graduate of Concordia, and McGill University.  She holds a bachelor in psychology and a Masters in counselling psychology.  Carol Roach is a published writer and newsletter editor.  You can purchase her book: Picking up the Pieces: A Woman's Journey at www.publishamerica.com, or www.amazon.com.  You can also go to your local bookstore and order it there as well.  Be sure to quote the isbn number: 1-4137-1921-X for local purchases:  Carol’s second book: Angels Watching Over is currently looking for a home. Stay tuned for details.