I've spent my day arguing futilely with stupid people who can't seem to give me a straight answer without putting me on hold and checking up their butt to see if the answer's there.
"So what is the total we owe if we add insurance?"
"Um...can I put you on hold?"
"No! It's a simple question! It's right there in front of you, why do you have to put me on hold to read your computer screen?"
"Um...hold, please. click (horrible hold music which I've already heard so many times I can sing along even though it's in some bizarre foreign language like ancient Urdu)"
"click Um, you owe $1660.00."
"That can't be right. You just quoted me $2198.00 for two people. All I'm asking is what is the total when you add in the insurance waivers. It should be more, not less."
"Um...hold, please. click
"Nooooooooooooo!"
It's terribly frustrating. I am having rotten luck with every tour company I've dealt with lately. You know how bad the service industry is getting, what with no decent waiters or fast food servers able to afford to live around here on minimum wage plus tips? Well, it seems to be creeping into the realm of clerical workers. Oh, sure, I'm a travel agent, I have an expensive document to prove I went to school for it, but what I really am is a glorified clerk and I know it. I expect competence, though, from people who are on the back end of the job, the ones who sell to the agents and don't deal with the public. They're getting paid similarly but are specialists whereas a travel agent is a generalist. I always expect specialists to know what they're doing.
My expectations are being lowered so rapidly I'm getting lightheaded.
But I'm not going to spend my entry bitching, no sir. I'm going to sit here and grin loopily at my three vacation books which arrived today. I'm going to exude satisfaction at having obtained several items my Auntie Mae wanted us to bring to with us. I'm going to drive to the airport in about one minute to pick up Joe who returns to us for one night before we ourselves head south of the border. The cats will be thrilled to see him again. He was a big hit with the furry members of the household. It's his mojo. His Joejo. His Tokyo Sexwale-jo. Cats just can't resist his lap or his hands.
I'm sure Joe wishes he had this affect on women.
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