Mannaggia la miseria. As if this day wasn't inherently stressful enough, an additional level of frustration has been thrown in.

Edited, well after the fact, to provide details: First there was the miscommunication between my parents and Relative B, who was driving Relative A to the specialist's office. My parents got the mistaken impression that we were going to be picked up by Relative B. What Relative B actually MEANT to say was, "I'll meet you in front of the doctor's office building, so you can accompany Relative A into the office while I look for parking."

So then Relative B called us from in front of the building, wondering where we were. We said we'd hurry and get on the next bus, and rushed out the door, with my parents forgetting to take their cell phone in our haste to get to the bus stop.

Waiting... waiting... waiting... do you see a bus driving past your computer? That's how WE saw a bus driving past our bus stop. Nada. Niente. Nothing. A friend of my parents happened to drive by, and she convinced us to get in so she could give us a lift. While we were on our way up 11th Street, what did we catch up to? A bus! So obviously, the freaking buses were DETOURED and there was no sign at the bus stop indicating this fact. Thanks, SEPTA. GRRR...

Now, my mom knows that our driver prefers not to drive in Center City (and who can blame her). So when the bus in front of us stopped at a red light, my mom said, "We can catch that bus now, thanks for the lift" and we went piling out of the car like the Three Stooges. My dad got on the bus, the light turned green, and off the bus went, leaving my mom and me behind. Now the two of us are standing there with no bus and no car. That's when I posted the above post.

Five minutes later, my parents' friend returned. "I just drove around, and I don't see any other buses coming. Get back in." And she drove us to within a block of our destination. So, my mom and I arrived at the doctor's office, and there were Relatives A and B... but not my dad. What the heck? Thirty seconds later, my dad walks in, wondering how he'd gotten there AFTER my mom and me when he'd had a head start. Well, it turns out that he had gone to the wrong address originally, and he had to backtrack to get to the correct building. This explains why he arrived after my mom and me.

For details of the actual visit, see my May 5 post. I had to wait in the waiting room, watching everybody's various bags, sweaters, and other belongings, because there wasn't room in the exam room for all five family members plus four doctors. But my mom did give me the rundown of the discussion that took place.