Read time: 5 minutes.

At a glance:

• Quote:

• Picture

• What I’ve Learned

• Business Idea

What I Learned:

It’s early November. I’m walking into an orthodontic office. I’m aiming to invite the orthodontist to a study club.

They’re not expecting me, and I’m suddenly feeling very self-conscious about my visit.

There’s a line at the front desk three people deep.

The girl at the front desk is new - at least, I’ve never seen her before - and she’s doing her best to check the patients in.

She’s smiling, and motions to the man before me to step forward.

The man is exactly similar in look and dress to me - even down to the same brand of brown shoes and buttoned white shirt.

“Last name, please?” she asks.

“Kingsley,” he says in a short tone.

Her eyes dart to the computer screen.

“I’m not sure I see you here..” she says.

“I SAID KINGSLEY. BEN KINGSLEY.” he says again, raising his voice.

“I’m so sorry”… Now I see you … It looks like your appointment was a couple of hours ago..”

He doesn’t move.

Her smile leaves.

“UN-F#$**-BELIEVEABLE!”

My stomach drops.

The waiting room goes silent.

Everyone else in the waiting room looks up.

“I’ll-I’ll promptly s-s-ssee if we can find a way to see you, Mr. Kingsley, but you may have to wait…. Or we can reschedule for 3 p.m?,” she says softly.

But he doesn’t calm down. He escalates.

“ARE YOU KIDDIN’ ME - 3 PM!?! [EXPLICITIVE]. SOMEONE ELSE TOLD ME A DIFFERENT TIME. [EXPLICITIVE]. WHATEVER. I’LL TAKE THE 3 PM,” he bellows. He turns around, walks by me, and intentionally mutters so all can hear, “This place never has their s** together.”

He slams the front door.

The girl is alone behind the counter.

She’s trying not to cry.

His demeanor hurt her and shook anyone nearby. It was completely uncalled for.

She takes a second to collect herself.

But her eyes say otherwise.

A single tear forms and breaks down her left cheek.

“…M-M-May I have your last name, sir?” she now motions to me.

She doesn’t know I’m a rep.

Clearly… now is not the time.

But in the moment, I say something that surprises even me:

“Kingsley.”

She looks directly at me.

“Ben Kingsley.”

She’s confused. But remember, we look exactly the same.

So I go on:

“We’re a few hours late to our appointment- and I deeply apologize- it’s totally ‘our’ fault, if you will:

This morning, I participated in a new experiment: A scientist cloned me and split my personality into two—one nice and one not much. Unfortunately, you just met my other half. We’re still adjusting to this new world. 

She catches on.

“Let me apologize for myself.

You’re doing an excellent, hard, thankless job. It’s one that I would fail in.

From the bottom of my heart, I appreciate you and your team every time I visit. Please ignore anything my other half says. He’s clueless. Now, if you’ll excuse me, I need to go catch him before he continues to make an a** out of us both.

Tears form back in her eyes; but not because she’s sad ….but because she can’t stop smiling.

“…And should ‘we’ ever erupt like that again..” I say, backing out the door….

“Please change our treatment plan to this:

Patient Kingsley now requests to wear headgear and end on a full class III. He wants his upper 1’s and lower 2’s fully extracted..

…maintaining ALL open spaces.”

To every orthodontic front desk team member—Your job is one of the hardest in the practice.

May you never underestimate your self-worth and smile through any and all poor patient behavior.

*Story inspired from a visit at a practice in southern Ohio. Names changed for patient privacy.