I had been kind of hoping to move way from the “eye” theme for a post – it was not to be.
My car insurers- after their initial laissez-faire response- sent an email asking me to “contact them urgently”. This was at 17:15 on Friday after they had shut for the weekend.
Turns out they would rather like my optictian to provide some absolutely essential paperwork after all. I’m not that surprised.
As my opticains are about 100yds away, I walk there, and loom with my one eye and beard and hat, at reception.
There is apparantly NO RECORD of my previous visit. I produce my “appointment slip”, which results in much humming and hawing. Computer says No, I’m told. So I show them the reminder email the computer sent me for my appointment…..
Seemingly it’s absence from the records is inexplicable, however if it’s not there, it didn’t happen.
I explain that I saw the male optician , of whom I am told there is only one (Scot). I am confident he will remember me (6′ grizzled, santa beard, silk patch, hat, accident in the paint factory waistcoat, never shuts up, just had retinal attachment, 30 min conversation about driving…)
Scot is busy, but they’ll call me shortly.
Turns out Scot has no recollection of seeing me either. I am bordering on going back and standing in front of Scot to see if that jogs his memory any. However it transpires that the person whom I saw was “not Scot” , but my appointment (expressly booked to) discuss whether I could drive with one eye, was taken by random trainee, who is not in-fact on staff, or qualified to pass or fail me for driving.
I am not best pleased. (The saving grace is, I know from tests at the hospital that I AM legal with one eye, however that will not serve for the insurers.)
With great forebarance I return and explain that I have alreday been driving on “not Scots” say so, and that I need a test which can be signed off in writing (am prepared to pay).
None of the opticians are availble to comment, but they will once again call me with a suitable appointment. 3 days later, having heard nothing, I return with my STILL NOT BEST PLEASED FACE.
“We are waiting on the hospital providing us their records…” I point out with some asperity that the hospital records will pertain to the recent surgery on my LEFT eye, and enquire how this will impact on the test for my right eye?
Reception (perhaps understandably) do not know, and unsurprsingly, no optician is free to comment.
My gut says; they are quite happy to have a trainee tell me I can drive, but it feels like the runaround when I want something on paper.
Nothing ever staightforward in this life….
Next week on IaDL, So can I drive or not?
Dalmallyfest the Asylum 