OK, I'm not keen on the woman who delivers our mail. It's not a secret in our family and the kids here tend to kid me about it. She and I have had words and I've apologized for mine, but still, I tend to avoid her when the mail truck trundles down the street. I have to wonder, though, if there's a trend in the post office to crank out workers who have chips on their shoulders.
Today oldest daughter and I swung past the post office to stick a bill in one of the mailboxes outside. One of the women there was using one of those laundry baskets on wheels (least that's the way they look to me) to unload the mail out of the boxes so she could take it all inside. Since the postal worker was on the near side, I pulled up beside her basket thingy and asked our daughter to hand her the letter. Big mistake. Before I could get out the letter to pass along, the postal worker gave me a very direct look and told me I must never pull up beside her again, and told me how hazardous I was being. Hazardous? There wasn't another vehicle in the parking lot, and it's not like it's an area that has lots of dangerous driving going on. That was my first thought. And honestly, my sarcastic side was showing because the next thought flashed into my mind of how there ought to be a sign out there warning customers to NOT drive alongside the postal worker because their lives were in our hands. Maybe it's part of that 'uh-oh the evil customer is a possible terr*rist' mentality. She didn't look scared, though. Scary, yes. My goodness, seems that I've handed over mail dozens of times to postal workers in the exact type of situation and have been greeted with a smile.
Give me a big fat break. Is it so necessary to put other folks in their places? I vote for the chip on the shoulder excuse rather than the possibility of me contributing to her demise.
We stared at one another for a few seconds, and then I said, "But can I leave my letter with you?" She gives me the *over the glasses* look and points to the cart. Not on your life would she actually accept the letter from my daughter's hand. I had memories of teachers in school sending me to stand out in the hall.
Are we seeing a bit of arrogance displayed here?
What I'm observing is folks (and not just people who work for the post office) having a script either given to them by higher ups or written by their own selves. If anyone diverts from the pattern expected, the worker pulls out a previously memorized comment written specifically to make the customer feel like a heel. The problem is that it's very effective. Took both my daughter and I about an hour to get over her rudeness, and it's apparent from my blog here that I'm *still* not over it.
Kindness. It's so easy to share, and leaves everyone in a better mood.
Today oldest daughter and I swung past the post office to stick a bill in one of the mailboxes outside. One of the women there was using one of those laundry baskets on wheels (least that's the way they look to me) to unload the mail out of the boxes so she could take it all inside. Since the postal worker was on the near side, I pulled up beside her basket thingy and asked our daughter to hand her the letter. Big mistake. Before I could get out the letter to pass along, the postal worker gave me a very direct look and told me I must never pull up beside her again, and told me how hazardous I was being. Hazardous? There wasn't another vehicle in the parking lot, and it's not like it's an area that has lots of dangerous driving going on. That was my first thought. And honestly, my sarcastic side was showing because the next thought flashed into my mind of how there ought to be a sign out there warning customers to NOT drive alongside the postal worker because their lives were in our hands. Maybe it's part of that 'uh-oh the evil customer is a possible terr*rist' mentality. She didn't look scared, though. Scary, yes. My goodness, seems that I've handed over mail dozens of times to postal workers in the exact type of situation and have been greeted with a smile.
Give me a big fat break. Is it so necessary to put other folks in their places? I vote for the chip on the shoulder excuse rather than the possibility of me contributing to her demise.
We stared at one another for a few seconds, and then I said, "But can I leave my letter with you?" She gives me the *over the glasses* look and points to the cart. Not on your life would she actually accept the letter from my daughter's hand. I had memories of teachers in school sending me to stand out in the hall.
Are we seeing a bit of arrogance displayed here?
What I'm observing is folks (and not just people who work for the post office) having a script either given to them by higher ups or written by their own selves. If anyone diverts from the pattern expected, the worker pulls out a previously memorized comment written specifically to make the customer feel like a heel. The problem is that it's very effective. Took both my daughter and I about an hour to get over her rudeness, and it's apparent from my blog here that I'm *still* not over it.
Kindness. It's so easy to share, and leaves everyone in a better mood.
