Hurry up to wait in line...
I love to wait. Which is really fortunate, because there are so many things I get to wait for: stop lights, grocery lines, doctor appointments and sometimes I even get a two-fer. Like when you wait in line to buy a movie ticket and then get to wait in line again when the movie starts, for your seat---those are my favorite.
Anyway, I have always wondered why businesses find the unfriendliest and nastiest people on the face of the earth, to hire to meet you at the end of those lines. Not that I don't like waiting in those lines, mind you. But at the end, it would be nice to be greeted with a friendly smiling face. It seems like every receptionist and store clerk go out of their way to make my wonderful waiting experience, end up feeling unfulfilled, like a bad taste left in my mouth I can't get rid of.
Like an old dentist I used to go to, who I loved, for example. He had a ten-minute late policy. I wouldn't dream of showing up late to a dentist appointment, but not because of his policy. I would have had to face the dragon lady and receive her evil glare, which would've probably melted me on the spot. (No need for dental work, I guess). One day after ten minutes of waiting, I got up and headed for the back to see the dentist. "Where are you going," dragon lady screeched. "Ten minute policy," I told her sweetly. "I figure if I can't be more than ten minutes late, neither can you." But after seeing that clearly she could not take my little joke, I went back to my seat and was rewarded with EXTRA waiting time, just for my sense of humor, I'm sure. But that's okay, because if I wasn't waiting for my appointment there, I'd just be waiting for something else. The laundry to finish, water to boil, Godo...
So, when my friend told me about her experience of being thirty minutes late for her doctor's appointment the other day, I was flabbergasted. "And you still went?" I asked her. I couldn't believe she would have the nerve to show up that late! Apparently neither could the receptionist, who was not very happy. "Why are you so late," the receptionist asked my friend rudely. "I was in line at Walmart for over twenty minutes," my friend answered honestly. Instantly the receptionist was a new woman. "Oh no," she cooed. "That is awful, it happens to me all the time. Have a seat and I'll get you right in." Huh. I guess waiting in line is something everyone can relate to. It's a good thing I don't mind.
1 comment:
I think the people at the end of the line are grumpy because day in and day out they are met with grumpy people who don't want to wait in line or lack of training. I too LLLLLOOOOOVVVVEEEE to wait...wait while the twins take off all their close to go pee pee, then redress them, etc.... I probably would have called the doctor to ask if I could come late.
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