The last day for payment without penalty of Beaufort County SC property taxes for 2009 is tomorrow, January 15, 2010, and in typical procrastinator fashion, I presented myself at the Treasurer's office yesterday, check in hand. There were six people in the line ahead of me, not counting the two who were being served by the lone clerk. The complaining began almost immediately, with the woman in front of me getting out of line to see whether there wasn't a drop box or some option besides waiting. She and the woman ahead of her discussed the inefficiency of the situation. The word "terrible" was used. Maybe five minutes had passed since I arrived.
PEOPLE! THIS IS THE DAY AFTER HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS OF HAITIANS SUDDENLY FOUND THEIR LIVES CHANGED FOREVER!
As the wait continued while it seemed that the first two were accomplishing multiple transactions, the complaining continued too, and the two women ahead of me decided to leave and submit their payments electronically. But by now a man had joined the line and stood behind me, humming nervously before he too found his complaining voice. I think I had been there about ten minutes by then.
PEOPLE! THIS IS THE DAY AFTER HUNDREDS OF THOUSAND OF HAITIANS BEGAN SUFFERING AT A LEVEL EVEN WORSE THAN THEIR USUAL.
Two people who were not complaining were the young Latina now directly in front of me and the infant she carried in her arms, along with a huge tote bag. They cooed and clucked to each other, although I would imagine the woman's arms were tired and maybe her high heeled boots were painful, and just waited.
And a third person who said nothing was the bowlegged African-American in front of her. Again, he just waited. Of course, I don't really know what the quiet ones were thinking, but I do know that I was thinking I'd rather be with them than the spoiled, privileged people who were more likely in my demographic and who definitely had different expectations about the procrastinator payment experience.
So often we hear people describe Hilton Head Island and its environs as "paradise". That would be when we are not complaining about something petty yet "terrible".
PEOPLE, WE COULD LOSE IT ALL IN AN INSTANT! LET'S TRY TO REMEMBER THAT.
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2 comments:
Yeah, I agree, but it is really hard to make people understand it. I mean who wants to be inconvenienced? It takes all kinds I guess.
Yep, all kinds MH, but the problem is that some seem to believe that their kind is somehow entitled to comfort and ease for which they do not want to pay. Sure, another clerk could have been made available to accommodate the procrastination of those on line, but I guarantee that there are those who would complain about the cost of providing extra clerk bodies.
And this was a short line in comparison with one I stood on in Atlanta on 12/21 at the USPS. The mood there was a lot more forgiving of the situation which once again involved the choice to procrastinate. Of course, there was that one woman who was upset that her passport application was going to take longer than she planned. My favorite person in that line was the older Southern woman who was all "Ah declaah" and "Do you need a place to rest that package, honey?" And it turned out that all she bought was a book of holiday stamps. :>)
Thanks for reading my rant.
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