Yesterday I was doing check-in for a legal seminar. There was a conflict over when the seminar was supposed to start -- in the course catalogue, the time was 2:00; but in the registration packet, the time was listed as 1:00. The correct time was 2:00.
A woman I was checking in said, "I'd like to register a mild complaint." For a couple reasons, I didn't get too nervous. First, she didn't have an angry look on her face. Second, this check-in is only a once-a-month duty for me and I'm not responsible for the seminar she's about to complain about. And third, being a nonprofit, the organization I work for doesn't seem to care too much when people are unhappy.
"OK," I said. Go for it. Be my guest. Register your complaint.
"I was here for 1:00 because that's what the materials said, and I've had to wait an hour."
"I'm sorry about that," I said.
"Well," she said, "I got some shopping done." Of course--who wouldn't enjoy a free hour? It's the kind of thing I and everyone I know would happily accept. A free hour. Right when I was about to comment on how lovely that was, she added, "But I could've been working."
There are people out there who would ever rather be working? Apparently so, and this woman is one of them. I realize there are people who don't hate their jobs, but still, wouldn't anyone appreciate a free hour, especially on such a nice day as yesterday? I wonder if she noted the confusion on my face as she said this. I hope she did. And I hope she felt ashamed!
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