I was in the post office today picking up my mother's mail (something for which she will not be nearly grateful enough). Our post office is kind of slow. Ok, it's one of the slowest I've ever been to. The line moves at a speed only slightly more rapid than glacial. Grouchy customers are the norm and one, today, stormed out the door, having an outburst about this was the worst post office he'd ever been to and how it had awful, slow, and stupid employees.
Not being the brightest bulb in the chandelier myself, and being possessed of a somewhat irreverent sense of humor, I said (obstensibly to my daughter), "grouchy customers too..."
While several of the customers in line did, indeed, seem to find this funny (it released a great deal of the tension that Mr. Cranky left floating), Mr. I Stood Behind Mr. Cranky And I'm Now Cranky Too said, snottily, "well, some of us have a real job and can't afford to stand around all day waiting for government workers!"
Now, I know that I kind of brought that on myself. I also know that responding to it would do no good; so I didn't. But. Oh, the but...
I wanted to turn around and tell him I have a real job. Three, actually. One which pays regularly, one which pays occasionally, and one (the one he was implying was not real) which doesn't pay at all.
[[Hang on, job 3 is crying and job 1 is on the phone...]]
[[Ok, 3 is put to nap, 1 is off the phone, and, although I really have to follow up with a potential client on job 2, I'm back. (Blogging is much more fun than marketing.)]]
I think I must have been a warrior in another lifetime. I desperately want to strike back at snotty people but I know I shouldn't for any number of reasons, the biggest one being that it never really makes you feel better because you know you're not going to change their opinion.
Having this happen makes me appreciate all the more graymama's forebearance with the unenlightened. I have not that kind of patience but I'm trying.
May God grant me the patience I need to deal with people like that and the understanding to see past their public flaws to the human underneath.
4 comments:
*grin* I would have loved to have been there. I've had that happen in a store when Gayle was just a bit younger, and being the observant girl she is said "Boy... that man is having a really bad day, hu mommy?" which got my Inner Voice opinion across without it having to be me saying it.
People will chuckle when it's a 4 year old pointing out the obvious, they tend not to snap back as well. And if they did, they'd have the Wrath of Hell brought down upon them for daring to snap at a 4 year old.
Were I in your situation, I would have dearly loved to say "Oh, do you think government work is not real work?" (as I would have interpreted his meaning to be that his work was more important than what the employees at the post office were doing.) Another question then... imagine how slow the post office would be if there were no "governement workers" there at all!
This reminds me of an article in The Compleat Mother. I will find it tomorrow and send it to you :-)
Unfortunately, I do not always handle situations very well. Hubby often tells me to keep quiet, so I don't get beat up or something.
Here is the site for the piece published in The Compleat Mother Summer 2005.
http://www.whyagain.com/moms.htm
I think you will like it :-)
You're right -- I liked that article, Graymama, thanks!! Good luck in *your* new job!
Post a Comment