Why do I need to learn more?
I am the person who always --AL.WAYS. --gets in the longest line. I am the person who always arrives during the "rush". I am the person who gets the waiter/waitress/clerk in training. "I'm new! Please be patient with me!" Usually, I'm not upset about this. I take it like a woman, and just patiently wait.
But today, it really started to get to me.
I had an appointment this morning to take the minivan into the dealership for a routine oil change. They are usually very good and very prompt and I like their waiting area.
"It'll be 30-45 minutes, okay?" replied the guy who took my name and my keys. The kids and I waited in the little children's area --it was closed off from the other waiting area with a door, and there were blocks and toys, and we watched "Charlotte's Web". The kiddies were entertained, and they even gave us some wicked, wicked fruit snacks. At first, the time went quickly, but after an hour, nobody came to get me. I was getting impatient. I needed to go weigh in at WW before 11AM, but had planned to go before the meeting ended at 10:30. Finally, at 10:20, I left the kids and went to the desk.
"Excuse me, but umm...I was told it would only be 30 minutes, but I've been waiting for an hour and a half."
"What was it for?"
"Just an oil change. And I was supposed to be somewhere 15 minutes ago."
"What was the name?"
I told her and the other lady said, "Oh! Your stuff is right here! They paged you, you know."
I firmly told them that I had not heard ANY page, because it must not be working in the children's area. Perhaps they should fix it. And I was so angry, people. And sad, and frustrated. They were kind, apologized, blah, blah, blah, but still! Didn't anyone notice me in there? Sitting there with four kids? How hard would it have been to be like "Hey, that lady has been here a while. I wonder if her stuff is done?" And then I was so mad at myself --why didn't I bug them earlier? Why didn't I ask after the first hour??
Then some customer service lady walked me to my car and then blabbed on and on about their car wash and their new location and everything for 10 minutes. HELLO!!? When someone is frustrated at being somewhere too long, you get them out of there as fast as you can! I was so close to just driving off after slapping her silly.
Then I got to the Weight Watchers place --parked right outside the door, turned off the car, rolled down the windows and let the kids stay in the car. #1 didn't have school today, so she could watch them for 3 minutes.
I go inside, and there's no line. Yay! I get up there to pay and....they can't do it right then because someone is on the phone and they need the line for the debit/credit cards. Those 5 minutes (where I went to check on the kids at least once) felt like eternity. I was so close to tears and so tired of having to wait and wait and wait.
By the time we got home, I was ready to scream at people. Instead, I fed the kids lunch and cleaned out the van (for the trip). I'm feeling much better now. But man, oh, man! Why is it always this way? Why am I constantly put into situations where I have to learn patience? I never get angry at people. I never yell at service people. I try to be the type of customer that people want to serve and please. I tip servers, I thank clerks. I'm polite and kind, even when I'm frustrated.
So, why the heck does it keep happening to me!? Seriously, I would love to just get through things quickly every once in a while. I just get so tired of waiting...and waiting...and waiting...
~Sigh~
11 comments:
I can really sympathize.
Sometimes I feel like life is all just waiting. Waiting waiting.
I have to admit, the oil change is one of my greatest pet peeves -- even 15 minutes seems like an eternity with 3 under 4.
If I didn't know you better, I'd think you weren't supposed to learn how to be patient but to be assertive! I know you too well for that, though ;).
I'm sorry you had a rotten morning! I hate it when people in customer service are slow and not very helpful. Have a fun time in Blackfoot, I'll be there myself next weekend!
When I took my oldest to the dentist yesterday they told me that they were running 30 min behind. I said that was fine and we wandered to the grocery store while we waited and then went back. After another hour, I gave up and said I have to go. They apologized and gave us free movie tickets. I normally would have been very bugged, but I got to sit with my oldest and read him a Junie B. Jones book, and it was nice just him and me. And free movie tickets are great too.
I took my daughter to the same dentist this morning and we were in, two cavities filled and out with in a half hour. Very nice.
So Sorry. Hope you have a fun trip. We had a similar dealership problem. I had to pick up Maren from school and got there with a TON of time and they sure took up that time with me waiting, and they had my paperwork too. Ugh!
Why are you taking your car in for an oil change? Call me spoiled, but I have never once done that--Chuck always does that on a Saturday morning or something.
You're too nice. But too nice is good. If more people were too nice, just think what a better place the world would be!
Maybe it's not patience you are supposed to learn. Maybe it is that you need to stand up for yourself and not take everyone else's junk all the time!?
ALthough I would rather be nice than make people feel bad.
I'm thinking that patience is one of those Christ-like virtues that is just really, really hard to obtain...it looks like you've got everything else covered, so maybe "patience" is the only thing keeping you from being twinkled :)
...Here's the thing though...you seriously proved just how patient you are through this post...everybody just needs to vent about crazy stuff like that every once in a while...
I prayed for patience once...and I've been paying for it ever since! ;)
I hate that! Sorry you had such a rough morning!
You people are way too nice to me. Thank you!
Yes, I think I do need to be more assertive at times. Especially when I'm working with people who give me specific time expectations.
Plus, some more patience, I guess. :)
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