Tis' the time of year for long lines at the post office, and with it, the appearance of the Buttinskys: that annoying family of homo sapiens that feel their time is more valuable than everyone else's. Chatty Buttinsky will find someone halfway down the line, and begin an earnest face-to-face conversation, while slipping into line at the same time. This can actually be entertaining in itself: what will Chatty talk about for that 20 minute wait? Closely related, but less talkative, Sly Buttinsky slips her package card to someone futher up the line, then leaves. And then there's "Tiny Tots" Buttinsky who doesn't even bother with the line, and barrels to the front of the non-existent parcel-pick-up line. Her cute and badly behaved kids provide a bit of an excuse, I suppose. Babbling Buttinsky (closely related to philosopher Buttinsky) tries to convince everyone in the vicinity that a parcel-pick up line exists, even though everybody in the regular line has a parcel pick-up slip. When the harried post office worker asks for parcel slips, Babbling bursts to the front of the line, leaving the elderly and young children in her wake.
While not genetically related, I am sorry to say that so far, all Buttinskys have been middle aged women. For shame!
Well said!! Speaking on behalf of middle age men, I think we have more patience. It's comical watching others this time of year. Even if our brains don't understand the whole "put the toilet seat down" concept, we make up for it with common courtesy and patience.
Perhaps a goal for all of us to have over the Holidays could be to accept that humans are imperfect. Maybe so and so stepped in line to chat with someone whom they hadn't seen in ages, and maybe that mom with not so well behaved kids is having an extraordinarily hard day and just needs a break, and maybe the fact that you've only noticed middle aged women butting in line shows that you have a bias (as I have seen men do the same thing). Who knows?
its the Holidays, why not enjoy them without complaining, accept that we're all human and perhaps show some thanks for something or share a positive experience you've had, like for example, saying a huge thank you to the awesome staff at the post office for working so hard and still smiling at us all as they get bombarded by impatient people all day!
Just sayin....
Yup. What bethechange said.
I think this actually rasises a decent point about public etiquette and could extend beyond the post office and holiday season. That guy ahead of you who I insists on telling the checkout girl at he grocery store his life store when you really just want to pay for your three items and get going, or the person who stops their cart in the middle of the isle right I front of you to spend way too long selecting the right mustard. Or the three people walking abreast slowly down the sidewalk failing to realize its for everyone to use. Yes we're al a little cranky with the lack of snow, but the golden rule still applies, would you like someone butting infront of you in line while you politely wait? No, of course not, so don't do it to soembody else. Does anybody hold doors for each other anymore? Wait I do, because it's polite, and manners matter, except not always online (Oops).
I don't really care if someone butts in front of me in line to talk to a friend, nope.
i also don't mind if that man is telling the grocery clerk his life story, because I have the power to choose a different line.
it is all our own choice to be bothered by others actions of which we have no control...or we can choose to live life happily without complaint of those actions of others that we cannot control.
Again, the human race is imperfect - why do Rossland folk demand that to change?
Stop complaining, people are not deliberately trying to bother you.
And continue to open doors for people, what a kind gesture and good example :).
Everybody love everybody
"Again, the human race is imperfect - why do Rossland folk demand that to change?"
Because even if we are not perfect, it's not beyond us to show some common consideration and courtesy? In the spirit of which - Merry Christmas!