Technically this is a new blog, but I'm using my old page because I like the address and as I started it over a year ago, I can't be accused of copying Darroch. However, on that note, if there's anyone left who isn't, read his blog ON THIS LINK - it is quite good sometimes.
This page shall be dedicated to whatever I think is relevant, and I'll aim at posting something every day. Much of the time I expect I shall end up in a rant about something, which coincidentally is what the following story is...
The other morning I was waiting for the bus to town; being due at 8:45, it's arrival at 9:10 was somewhat displeasing, but since I wasn't starting work until 11, I wasn't bothered, just rather cold. Once the bus pulled in, it was apparent that the driver was in fact a female; this caused a majority of the bystanders to make humorous comments before approaching the bus. I got on the bus as normal, asking for my usual ticket. I was greeted by the abrupt response "How much d'ya usually pay? Machine's broken." After a seconds pause caused by having not yet properly woken up, I answered truthfully; "Two Pounds". Her reply was a drawn out "REEEAAALLLY", spoken in a tone that made it clear that her true meaning was "Stop lying you filthy faggot". I assured her that I always pay two pounds due to my ownership of a youth discount card. She started to argue that they were not valid on the 19 for some reason, where I informed her that they are in fact valid on all buses in Scotland. She continued regardless; "Oh well, perhaps it's the 17 they're not used on" to which I firmly reassured her that as both the 19 and 17 are bus services in the Inverness-shire district, a district of Scotland, my Scottish youth discount card is valid for a discount on both of them, and that I shall be travelling to Inverness this morning for the sum of two pounds. This battle was thus declared over, and after she spent a minute or two counting out the change from my ten pound note whilst staring at some unknown presence in the distance with burning hate in response to my joking-come-apologising remark that the cash machine doesn't give out anything less, I took my handwritten ticket to my seat and listened to Rhapsody for the journey. When approaching my stop, I stood up, shuffling awkwardly to the front of the bus, where, leaving the previous altercation behind me, said "Could I get off at Tesco please?". Before I had finished my sentence, she interjected with the fury of no man on earth; "SIT DOWN UNTIL THE BUS STOPS!". I obliged, and once the bus has certaintly lost all of it's momentum, I exited, wishing the merry bint a "Lovely day".
It is this sort of scenario that really bugs me; it is the bus driver's job to simply take my money, drive, and stop when it's someone's time to get off. This process has limited spoken contact, but what is said should be polite as a standard rule of humanity. What gives her, and the many others who treat customers with complete disrespect, reason to be quite so miserable when their job descriptions state the complete opposite? At my job, at Currys, I deal with some disagreeable customers, and no matter how much I am annoyed by their words or actions, my next customer is treated with total respect and politeness. I am being payed to do this, and so was the bus driver. If she is incapable of such a simple task, she should not be employed by the service industry.
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