There's a lot of things I don't get about humans. I'm a rather naive human some days, to be honest, but I don't think naivety explains my confusion over the lack of kindness in the world. Being a college student means myself and many of my friends are in the customer service business, since that's what most part time jobs have been until now. So needless to say a good chunk of us have seen our fair share of rude and cruel customers. I'm not going to talk about my own job because that's a whole other ballgame but I ultimately have some questions.
I frequently go to Starbucks and this is where I see the most of the not so nice encounters. I remember when I was about fifteen or sixteen I was waiting for my drink to be made and there was a woman in front of me who was visibly agitated at a barista who seemed quite new. This woman ended up screaming and making a scene because the barista "didn't know what extra chocolate drizzle meant." This grown woman had a temper tantrum because there wasn't enough fancy chocolate syrup on her drink. The poor barista was visibly shaken to the point my mother said to him to ignore awful people like that and he was doing just fine. I just want to know what made that woman feel so entitled that she felt she could berate a young man who was clearly trying hard to do this new job.
Another story I can think of was from a friend of mine who works at an information desk. Apparently, a young woman came by wanting to see if a water bottle had been dropped off at the lost and found they have at the desk. My friend informed the girl that due to health codes they do not take water bottles or clothing. The girl was immediately agitated and asked what kind of lost and found were they if they didn't take those things. My friend told her it was just a policy they had to follow and since she had been on shift that day no one had come by attempting to drop off a water bottle. The girl stormed off to go to another location to see if someone had dropped it off there. She then came back later when she was unsuccessful at the other buildings and yelled at my friend's manager. I can see how it could be frustrating to lose something and find out a lost and found doesn't take it but it's a water bottle. They aren't expensive and she could easily buy another one.
What I will never understand is how nasty people can get over little things. It is completely irrational and unnecessary to scream at someone for doing their job or being new at their job. We all have been there at our jobs so why do we have to act like we haven't? Maybe some people have never worked in customer service and have zero understanding of what it is like. No matter what we should all treat each other with respect.
