What's UP with that?

Someone needs to explain something to me, because I really don't get it...

How is it that I can make a doctor's appointment for 2:40 pm, show up at 2:35 pm, and sit in the waiting room for over an hour, while loads of other patients can breeze in the door and go right in to see the doctor. Huh? Do they have some special pass that I wasn't aware of?

And then finally when everyone else has been seen, how is it that I'll go in and be seen for 5 minutes? A 5 minute appointment takes nearly an hour an a half out of my day. Um?

More importantly... how is it that I can be on time for an appointment, and wait around for an hour for a doc or whoever else to get good and ready to see me... Whereas if I show up for an appointment 10 minutes late, I'm marked as a 'no show' and my appointment is canceled?? Wait -- so I have to be on time... but then sit and wait for an hour to be seen? I'm confused.

What's UP with that? Seriously... I want to know. I don't get it.