Parents... the Dumb Ones

When you work in a paediatric setting long enough you sometimes wonder if Adolf Huxley's Brave New World (sans Soma and orgy) isn't such a bad one to begin with. We allow the bright ones to be sexually productive, and brain-wash the stupid ones into sexually unproductive individuals. Oops... I made an elitist remark, but I am not apologetic about it.

The following conversation happened a few days back when I dispensed a prescription. See if you don't agree with me some parents are really stupid to the extend you wonder if it is such a good thing to let them raise the next generation.

Me: Medicine for XYZ?

Mom: Yes.

Me: Is the address at Blk XXX etc etc?

Mom: No, that's not the correct address?

Me: Was it your old address? This is a common problem, people moved house and they assumed everybody knows they have moved

Mom: No, we've never lived there before.

Me: ?? But your child's name is XYZ?

Mom: Yes.

Me: Then why is the address wrong?

Mom: Er... (at this point the Dad came).

Dad: Oh that's not my child's name. I saw the doctor key under the wrong name just now.

Me: Huh?! Then what's your child's name? And why didn't you tell the doctor on the spot that it is the wrong name?

Dad: (passes me his child's appointment card) Oh I thought it was the doctor's name. in case you think this is an acceptable reason, the wrong patient name clearly belongs to a female (if you disagree, show me a male named Claire), and the doctor is male.