I was the designated driver for a doctor’s appointment. I was told I would be in a waiting room with no one else there, HGTV would be on the television, and that the wait would be about two hours.

I was lied to.

When I arrived, someone else was in the waiting room as well. We did not make eye contact. I tried to avoid the news channel that was reporting depressing stories on the television. When that waiting room person left, I figured this was the beginning of my alone time.

I stretched out my legs and grabbed my water as my phone rang. No worries, I thought. I had two hours to kill in this room by myself. My son in another state was calling to give me an update on his sort of but not really camping trip he was about to be sent on and I had no qualms talking with him before he lost his signal in the wilderness because this waiting room was mine alone.

Except it wasn’t. A man entered and it appeared he glared at me as he took a seat as far away from me as possible and shoved earbuds in his ears.

I was beginning to see how this day was going to go.

I wrapped up the phone call with my son sooner than I had wanted to because I had not intended to be rude. I would have explained this to the earbud man but, well, the earbuds.

I pulled out a book and settled in for the two-plus-hour wait.
The man was called to the back and I had no time to relax because two older women entered.

I will call them older because first of all, they were older than me. But they were also older than my mom. They were chatty and funny and the one woman was explaining how she couldn’t really rush this appointment for her designated driver but wanted her friend to please find the most comfortable chair as she would be there for some time. They commented on the beautiful view out the window and they liked the chairs being extra wide for extra room to put your bag next to you. The women were cutely dressed and the one wearing the most unique rings was the one who stayed behind as her friend headed out to see the doctor.

I knew to just put away the book now. Us designated drivers weren’t going to get any alone time.

The well-ringed woman was sitting directly across from me, and as she put her thermal cup down, she commented on the backpack I had at my feet. “Oh, I just love that backpack. How do you like it?”

I instantly knew this stylish woman and I were going to be friends.

I pulled the backpack to her feet. “Check it all out!” I encouraged her, “You can take a picture of it if you want.” I then told her all the things I liked about my gray vintage-looking bag. We discussed the bag’s great functions and she took a photo of it to send to her daughter.

I pulled my bag back and we settled into a comfortable lull in conversation as the news continued to play on the TV. “Well”, I asked, “What did you bring to pass your time?”

She pulled out knitting.

I somehow managed to hold in the squeal I had in me because I suddenly realized this was going to be the most enjoyable waiting room visit. We pulled up photos on our phones to show each other knitting projects we had finished. We shared patterns as we leaned back in the extra-large chairs that were large enough to keep our bags next to us and settled in to knit on our projects when the receptionist entered the room.

The receptionist asked us, “Did I hear you both say you are knitters?” I didn’t think this day could be better.

We three began sharing all the stories. The receptionist had some very old-fashioned sock-making contraption that we designated drivers were fascinated by. We three discussed yarn stores and more projects and had only just begun the fun when my patient walked into the room.

I wanted to ask for the doctor. It had not been nearly two hours yet and we knitters had only just begun to chat. I considered asking my patient if they minded very much just waiting in the waiting room for a while while we all continued our conversation, but of course, I knew this was not an option even if that crazy thought had crossed my mind.

I don’t have anyone’s name. I don’t have a photo to prove this waiting room interaction truly did happen. But I assure you that this is a designated driver moment I’ll never forget, and wish I could go back to this moment again. I wanted to hug them both as I left.

I may have been lied to about the morning, but I have no complaints or sorrow…well, maybe that it should have been a full two hours.

Have you ever had a day that you were more or less dreading that ended up being a new favorite memory? Tell us about it!