Grumpies

Today was a short day at work, which was good. I was getting a little annoyed with some of the customers. Two people in particular...and they just happened to be almost back to back. The first was a woman, probably in her late 30's early 40's or so. She seemed to be in a bad mood from the start, mainly just overall grumpy. I asked her your typical questions when registering a new car, which for her included extra paperwork because she bought it out of state. I asked if she had gotten rid of a car and got this one. To which she said no, and I asked what type of plates she wanted. In Maine (like I'm sure in most states) there are plates that raise money for different organizations, ie: Breast Cancer Research. Obviously getting annoyed at my line of questioning....which is only the questions I am *supposed* to ask she cuts me off saying she already has plates. Now keep in mind I had *just* asked her if she had a car before this that she got rid of....can't have plates without a car.......Anyways...So I ask her if she knows her plate number. She snaps a No. I look it up by her last name, find out that they expired in July, so there is no credits she can do. With no credits, and plates being the same cost in this case she chose to get new ones.


So, finally I get to printing out all the pages, registration, sales tax form, and title application. While managing only a few sighs from the customer for I am guessing how *long* I am taking. Just keep in mind I am one of the fastest typers there...Anyways...I hand her the first sheet that she needs to sign, the registration form. I tell her, please answer questions one and two then sign and print your name on the bottom, as I point to each item. Okay (with a snap in her voice) and grabs the paper to read it. A few seconds go by, and she says what do you want me to do with this? So I repeated, answer questions 1 and 2, sign and print.....pointing AGAIN...To which she says I already gave you the mileage. So I say, I don't need the mileage, I need you to answer qustions 1 and 2, sign and print.....So she finally answers questions 1 and 2, then reads question 3 and says I don't have a limo or a taxi. So yet again I say I only need the first two questions, the others do not apply to you. So she signs the bottom and tries to hand it back to me. So I have to repeat again print your name under your signature. When she's finally finished this, I move on to the sales tax form. On which as I point to the spot I say please put your SSN here, and sign here. I paused at each, and she shook her head. She grabbed the paper, and angrily said where do you want my SSN? I show her...again...and repeat for her to sign next to it. She puts the social, then asks where to sign it. (argh!)

Somehow she has managed to listen to where she has to sign and date on the title form which is next. And she was finally done. Now keep in mind, I wouldn't have been so annoyed with her if she didn't have such an attitude. Every single statement that came out of my mouth was met with a contemptuous type of reply. I don't know if she had some sort of a disability that makes it hard for her to understand, or easily forget what I was asking of her. But to be so rude and snappy when I was being very nice and trying to make sure she understood when I told her something.


The NEXT difficult customer was a guy, and he did have a disorder. He couldn't speak. Although I didn't *know* he couldn't speak at first. Why would I? He gets in line, the ONLY person waiting in line, as I was walking back from the bathroom (the other clerk already had a customer) He waited approximately 30 seconds for me to get to my seat and tell him I could help him. Which I had to repeat....even though he was staring right at me. I still didn't know he couldn't speak. He throws a piece of paper at me, which turns out to be his tax bill. So I ask him if he is just going to pay August or more/less. So I would know what I needed to enter in the payment screen. With an angry noise he snatches the paper from me, and points to the name on the bill. At this point I realize he can't speak. So I asked if the name was wrong, since he was pointing to it, and it was a Cynthia. He made another angry noise and started tracing out the perforated edge of the first tax payment. Which I say you want to pay your taxes. To which he throws the paper back at me. So I separate the perforated August portion, and sit and wait while he rummages through his checkbook. Grabs the bill from me again, looks at it, throws it back at me, and writes out the check...which he throws at me.....

I get the payment processed give him back the remaining bill with his receipt. With another angry noise he grabs them, throws the chair back, and slams the door on his way out. I'm not exactly sure why he was so mad. He wasn't late in paying, he didn't have to wait in line for more than a few seconds, and I never said anything mean to him. It was like he was in a bad mood before he came. He may have been mad that I didn't know he was mute....but how would I have known just by looking at him? Or maybe he was mad I didn't know exactly what he wanted? But throwing a bill at me with four stubs for four due dates doesn't tell me what you want. Especially since everyone that has been coming in this week to pay there taxes (2 weeks early) have paid everywhere from $100 towards the bill to those that pay the full 2010 tax year. And there are those who got the bills in error after recently selling their home, but the bill was still sent to the old owner.

Geesh! this week has been just full of angry people. The *good* angry person who was very rude to me, specifically about my tattoo (to which I still brightly said have a good day) did come back the next morning to apologize for being mean. Which was a huge shocker. People yell at me, or treat me like an idiot on a regular basis, but never has one of those people come back and apologized! So good news at the end of the bad.

So that was my day today. Angry people at work. Leave at noon, just to drive and sit at the Doctors while I drink this horrid orange syrup and then have a lady draw my blood after I sit in the waiting room for over an hour.... It wasn't the usual lady that does the blood draw...and she really stabbed me. It is definitely going to bruise, as its still very sore. Typically you barely feel it....if they do it right and are good at it. And it rarely will bruise after. Not with this lady....Not to mention she tied the tourniquet REALLY tight. It made my fingers go numb! That doesn't normally happen either...I've had my blood taken a lot in the last few months.....and not once had the typical lady done such a horrid job.

Anyways. I did have a BLT for lunch which was yummy....The only perk for getting out early :)