12.03.2009

Bits, and some bobs.

It's funny. You know, things. Things you thought, things you learn, things that never occurred to you.

Like, a lot of people in the Post Office don't really know what they're doing, and are goofily apologetic when they mess up which is often, or at least during the hour I had to observe them as I repeatedly messed up and had to fill and refill out forms repeatedly (yes I know already said "re" fill, it stands) put a small envelope into a larger envelope when I thought originally I'd have to take that package home and repack it which would take days and some running around because I'm out of the paper tape you need to sign over when you're insuring, even the stuff I used this morning which were the remnants of the stuff that somehow got soaked and wrinkled and lost it's sticky (strangely enough that's not the first time I've used this phrase on this blog) so I just put clear tape over it and hoped it would fly.. seems it did anyway so luckily I was able to send them out after all that, and being told I wouldn't be able to in the first PO I went to.. or at least that's the impression I got.

Oh, and speaking of the first PO I went to, it's funny how when you're waiting in a place where you have to take a ticket you think it's crap because you're waiting so long and there doesn't seem to be any system to it, but when you're somewhere you just line up you think that's crap and they should have the ticket system, but when you're in a Post Office where you sorta float around each window behind the person being served keeping an eye on the other windows and the people hovering behind them and wondering what the hell the person at the window has that is taking so long.. and if indeed they even do what you need at that window.. you wish they'd just fucking decide on a fucking system for fucks sake! For fucks sake! Worst. Post. Office. In. Prague.

So.. you see, things. And then there are things that are not the slightest bit perplexing, just... typical. You go to the stationery shop and want fine, but not too fine point black felt pens. They have tons of pens of course, weird erasable ones, they have felt pens, big fat ones that smell strongly. Really fine point felt pens and packages of fine, but not too fine pens, in 4 different colours. I mean.. I'd probably get a pack of 4 if they were all black, because I will end up using all of those, but no.. they have black, blue, red and some other colour I'll never use. And of course they have nothing of the sort sold individually. And they have no tape, except for a small one on the dispenser and paper tape, forget it.

And of course (still going with the previous one.. sorta) there are tons of people at the register... I stand behind what I think is a mother and daughter and the woman rings it up.. a bunch of pens all individually priced, and a few other items. She takes her grand old time she does. So the other register becomes free and some dude walks up to it, when the woman in front of me goes over and tells him politely but firmly that she's first.. and the young girl pays in what seems like the smallest coins possible. She takes her time gathering her stuff and getting out of the way.. and finally I buy my stuff. I know it's shit that happens every day, but still.

And another thing. If you have card machines at your Post Office, people should be able to pay with their cards. I'd meant to go to the cash machine, just in case, as I was spinning around but zoned it out, and thought.. well they have machines at the post office or so I thought because I never use my card to pay for things.. I'm kind of a luddite about that if that's the right term.. but today I thought I might finally become a grownup and use it. If I needed to. Well I needed to and you can't so I had to go to the nearest bank machine, which isn't all that near and come back.

I think I'll stop now.

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