So I See

Sometimes a blog post is handed to you.

I decided to order prescription sun glasses today.

New Driving Lenses

Now, I got a full eye exam and updated prescription last spring in Virginia, just before the big move.  With the ensuing corrections my vision is better than ever.   Not wanting to roll the dice on a new prescription I brought an envelope that I thought included the prescription to the optical counter at Costco.  Teresa bought some great transition driving lenses at Costco last month.  I wanted the same.  But it turned out, on closer examination, the envelope included only the Virginia receipt. 

No problem says the Costco optician.  We can call for a fax copy of the prescription.

We called the Virginia optometrist at the phone number listed on the receipt.  It was ordinary business hours, 3:30 pm Eastern Standard time back East on a Thursday afternoon – ring, ring, ring, and ring, no answer.   We hung up and called again – twenty rings and no answer.  So we call the Lenscrafters that filled the prescription and ask for the optometrist’s phone number by business name – Dr. Robert W Stetekluh & Associates.   Lenscrafters gives us a different Virginia number.  Progress.  We call that Virginia number.  A very nice lady answers, takes the Costco fax and voice phone numbers and promises to get back to us with the prescription as soon as she can retrieve it. 

Five minutes pass, then ten.  We decide to go off and do the rest of our shopping.  When we return the Costco optician says bad news.  Dr. Stetekluh does not have my records.  They are with another optometrist.    Well Okay I say, we can call the other optometrist then.  No says the Costco Associate.  Dr. Stetekluh’s receptionist would not provide the name or phone number, something about a non-compete agreement.   I would have to call Dr. Stetekluh’s office again and ask for the records to be transferred and then, after several days, Dr. Stetekluh’s office could forward my prescription.     

Here I am in Bozeman, Montana, permanently moved 2,500 miles away from Arlington, Virginia.  In view of my age and retired status I likely will never set foot in Arlington Virginia again.  Yet, an Arlington optometrist thinks giving me a phone number somehow, someway breeches or implicates a non-compete agreement?   Unbelievable.

We’re going to get that phone number.  There’s no stopping us.  Teresa recalled that Dr. Stetekluh’s receptionist had been daughter of the husband and wife team who cleaned our Arlington home every other week for ten years.  We had our last Christmas dinner in Arlington with the family.  We have a call into Lisa and Hassan.   Sometimes, it seems, the Higher Power wants you to get in touch with old friends..