I recently found an article on the deleterious effects of rudeness in the work place. The article was primarily concerned with personnel in surgical theaters. I work in a big box retail outlet and I spend much of my time copying keys. I must say that there is plenty of rudeness to be found around this machine. Associated with the negative effects of this rudeness time and space itself seem to be effected. Five or ten minutes turn into 20 to 30 minutes and chronology of events is altered. "I was here first, no I was... ".

There was a fellow there the other night that insisted he'd been waiting for half an hour. Unfortunately for him we do not carry a blank for the key he wished to have copied, a double sided mailbox key. He stormed out cursing me with "you f**ker, you made me wait half an hour to tell me that...". Usually I can brush this off but the effects are cumulative as these kinds of encounters occur. Fortunately most customers tend to be pleasant and some can even be fun to deal with.

Oh well, I have a job. It's a far cry from my previous "career" writing legal systems with Informix 4GL.