A Short Tirade

Secretary, "I just need you to sign a few papers."

Me, "Sure"

Secretary, "Just sign your name there."  She points to an electronic signature pad with a blank screen.

Me, "Uh, what am I signing?"

Secretary, "Oh, you are signing a form that gives us permission to treat your son and get records from his other doctors."

Me, "But this screen is blank."

Secretary, "The paper you are signing is this (she holds up a 3 page document).  You can read it if you want."

Me, "But how do I know that is what I am signing?"

Secretary, "Because here is the document."  She again waves the 3 page document in the air.

Me, "But, why don't I sign the document itself?"

Secretary with a large sigh- and a patient voice one normally uses with kindergartners, "I need your electronic signature so I can print it out on the document.  It's just your signature.  When you sign the pad it prints it on the correct document."

Me, standing there flummoxed.  

Am I the only person who finds this absurd?  Luckily, before I got sent to the principal's office for noncompliance, the office manager walked over and handed me the document to sign with (gasp) an ink pen.

I try to play nicely with others, really I do.