Pet Peeves

Ya know what really aggravates me? What really gets under my skin even though I know I should practice patience and longsuffering and all that fruit-of-the-spirit-stuff that I know God keeps testing me with... I just cannot understand why people work at jobs that they obviously HATE and take it out on poor innocent, unsuspecting customers. Now I know consumers can be nasty, nasty, nasty and impatient as hell...they get snippy and snotty and intolerant...but if you have a job working in direct connection with customers, you have to learn the art of cutting them off at the pass. But I digress...this is not the point I'm trying to make right now-

...it's how aggravated I am to be have been treated like an idiot by the lady at the Secretary of State's Office this afternoon.

I took Jake in today to get his learner's permit before we go up north on vacation. The paper that was provided to him (from his driver's ed teacher) said he needed his original birth certificate and he needed to provide his social security number with a parent who could prove they were your parent and verify the address. We waited in that packed office for nearly an hour. When our number was finally called the woman (who has worked there for years) was visibly tired and aggravated. When I told her we were getting a driving permit she promptly started firing off, "did you sign the top half of this paper? do you have your birth certificate? do you have your social security card?"

Whoa, whoa, whoa...I was like, "Well, we were never given this paper to fill out, and I do have his social security number...but nothing was ever said about having to provide the card."

Then she started spouting off something about not having gone through an actual school (um...this is called Michigan Driving School thankyouverymuch) and "If you had gone through an actual school you would have been provided with this information..." We were promptly dismissed as gruffly as that British chick on the Weakest Link. (Anne Robinson, I believe?) Good-bye!!!

Now come on...I had his social security number, proof of live birth, a valid Michigan's driver's license to prove I am his mother with another piece of identification showing the same address. Not to mention the fact that I have NEVER had to bring a social security card when my other 4 kids got their permit. (this is not a freakin' passport, people) Grr. What a wasted afternoon. And I did not get back there today either.

Then we went to Subway to get some (very late) lunch. Sandwich specialist LaTisha was not a very perky girl. As a matter of fact, she seemed quite bothered with the whole process of me ordering 3 footlong subs. I'm guessing we caught her at the end of her shift. (um...not my problem). There was no warmth in her voice...let's just say I wasn't feelin' the love. I just wonder if her boss was negligent in her training...you know, that part where they teach you to say, "Welcome to Subway, how may I help you?" and that ever so important, "thank you, and have a nice day!"

I told her I wanted to make one a meal...(aren't they supposed to hand you a cup and point you to the self serve fountain drinks and chip rack?) I finally reached over and took my own cup, aggravated beyond words at the back to back ignorant dealings with people who hold service jobs. There are so many people out there looking for a job and some act so bothered to have one.

Wouldn't it just be such a nice world if everyone really treated you like your business actually mattered? Is it that difficult to use our manners and give service with a smile? I can't even blame it on today's youth because the lady at the Secretary of State's office was older than I am. Shouldn't she know better?

Am I the only person who finds this annoying?