Friday, September 07, 2007
COMMON COURTESY.....
I have been calling today in regards to Dale’s estate and one of those calls was to the IRS. I had received notice of a number assigned as the administrator and I should respond by September 15th. I dreaded calling because I’m not at all qualified to even read a tax statement much less understand it. Of course I’ve heard people curse the IRS all my life.
After being directed to several different departments I ended up with a very nice gentleman who was not only courteous but very helpful. He asked quite a few questions which I was able to answer and come to find out I don’t even have to think about it until this time next year.
I am very sensitive to telephone conversations. I can tell if the person on the other end is smiling, irritated, if their eyes are twinkling, if they want off the phone NOW and if they are faking being nice. I have had reason to call many different companies, credit cards, the Military, Federal and State offices…….and I find every time if you are nice, they are nice.
Some people give public service people a bad name because they call in a huff and blow up before the person on the other end can even get a sense of their call. I have worked both for the Federal and State agencies and was married 26 ½ years to Warren, who was retired Military.
When I went on base with him we were afforded courtesy by everyone from service people to the civilians who worked at the base. Warren was in the hospital a lot during those years and it was always the same. After his death I was never treated less than before. I grow very angry when people curse the Military and criticize a world they’ve never been in. Don’t talk down about all these folks who are doing the best they can……….they know a lot more about it than most of us and continue to march…..no matter what.
Attitude tells me a lot about character. Some folks couldn’t find anything good to say if they won the lottery. They’d complain it wasn’t big enough. There is the chronic gossip, the constant complainer and the hypochondriac. People who always have an ax to grind aren’t getting the worst of anything….they just want to be a victim for pity or credit where they haven’t earned it.
In the years I’ve been given to observe life and people, the ones who never complain are the ones who have the most to complain about. The ones who never feel good, always have an ailment and want to give a minute by minute account of their medical problems are normally better off than their listeners. Some of the happiest people I know are smiling through tears inside……yet they keep going. Let’s help them along by giving a big smile back.
Essentially Esther
After being directed to several different departments I ended up with a very nice gentleman who was not only courteous but very helpful. He asked quite a few questions which I was able to answer and come to find out I don’t even have to think about it until this time next year.
I am very sensitive to telephone conversations. I can tell if the person on the other end is smiling, irritated, if their eyes are twinkling, if they want off the phone NOW and if they are faking being nice. I have had reason to call many different companies, credit cards, the Military, Federal and State offices…….and I find every time if you are nice, they are nice.
Some people give public service people a bad name because they call in a huff and blow up before the person on the other end can even get a sense of their call. I have worked both for the Federal and State agencies and was married 26 ½ years to Warren, who was retired Military.
When I went on base with him we were afforded courtesy by everyone from service people to the civilians who worked at the base. Warren was in the hospital a lot during those years and it was always the same. After his death I was never treated less than before. I grow very angry when people curse the Military and criticize a world they’ve never been in. Don’t talk down about all these folks who are doing the best they can……….they know a lot more about it than most of us and continue to march…..no matter what.
Attitude tells me a lot about character. Some folks couldn’t find anything good to say if they won the lottery. They’d complain it wasn’t big enough. There is the chronic gossip, the constant complainer and the hypochondriac. People who always have an ax to grind aren’t getting the worst of anything….they just want to be a victim for pity or credit where they haven’t earned it.
In the years I’ve been given to observe life and people, the ones who never complain are the ones who have the most to complain about. The ones who never feel good, always have an ailment and want to give a minute by minute account of their medical problems are normally better off than their listeners. Some of the happiest people I know are smiling through tears inside……yet they keep going. Let’s help them along by giving a big smile back.
Essentially Esther
