Hurry Up and Wait

Lately life, and I'm not just talking about mine, seems to be filled with waiting. As a person with limited patience, I find this maddening. Some of this is out of anyone's control. If a friend is waiting for test results or anxious about an upcoming appointment, all the pacing in the world isn't going to make the outcome happen sooner.

But here's the other thing I've noticed. Some of the busiest people are the most responsive. Years ago, I worked with the then-president of The Indiana Heart Hospital. Over the course of our business relationship, he traveled extensively. I was constantly checking the time in Asia and other far away locales before I would leave a voice mail. Regardless of the message or email, I always heard from him within hours. He has since moved to a new position in Arizona and I received an email (from his assistant) with his new contact information. This email went to hundreds of business associates. I sent him a quick email wishing him well in the new year -- I heard from him within the hour. No wonder he's so successful.

I always try to give people the benefit of the doubt... they must be overwhelmed with business or phone calls or life. Some days I succeed but today I have not.

Rudeness

This will not shock you. I despise rudeness. I think it should be the eighth deadly sin. Rude children make me understand corporal punishment. (I am kidding!) Rude adults, especially those in customer service, make me crazy.

On Christmas Eve, I accompanied my mother to WalMart. Not my favorite store but she legitimately needed a few things and I legitimately needed to relieve being stir crazy.

I have worked retail. I did it in high school and college. I did it when we actually had to do math and count change. I did it when we were expected to know the merchandise and where to find it. I did it when our performance reviews were a daily reminder because managers paid attention to customer service.

At WalMart, I experienced three incidents of rudeness:

1. We were looking for a specific cleaning product while wandering through the housewares section. I asked an employee, "Excuse me, may I ask you a question?" She responded, "I don't work in this department." I said, "That is not my question." I proceeded to ask my question and she answered it. Why couldn't she have done that in the first place?

2. One of the items we picked up was stocked in two areas on the same aisle. The price difference for the same item was about $6. I pointed this out to my mother so we could pay attention at check out. I have a mean memory and I knew the rough cost of every item we were buying. Of course, two of them rang up at the higher price. The cashier was rude as she let us know she would have to wait for a price check. Fine with me. When the equally-rude, yet higher-on-the-totem-pole person arrived, I offered to go with her to show her exactly where I found these items. She proceeded to weave and run through the store with the cart as her taser. To borrow a line from Christmas Vacation, "Let's burn some dust. Eat my rubber." We purchased our items at the price listed on the shelf. Saved close to $20 versus what rang up on the register. I was persistent but I was not rude.

3. In the parking lot, we unloaded and I took the basket to the cart corral. On the other side was a woman who could've walked three feet to secure the cart from damaging cars. Instead, she left it rolling toward another car as she backed away. I grabbed it and put it away. If this were football, I would throw my little yellow flag and scream, "Unnecessary Rudeness!"

Today we went to run some other errands. We experienced rude clerks -- the kind who stand and converse with each other and act like you are not standing right there. We witnessed rude fellow shoppers. I may not venture out again for a while.