Thursday, March 22, 2012

True story....

On my way home from work, some evenings I order a pizza so it will be ready when I get close to home and I can just swing in and pick it up. Yesterday evening was one of those days. Here was the conversation when I called:

Me: Hi, I would like to order two large pizzas.
Her: Okay, what would you like?
Me: I would like a large beef bbq pizza....
Her: Hmmmm........uh.......uh..... well, we have a bbq beef pizza....
Me: That's the one.
Her: Ok, a large?
Me: Yes
Her: ok, name?
Me: Jones* (name is changed, but it's equally common and identifiable.)
Her: Can you spell that?
Me: J-O-N-E-S
Her: Will that be all?
Me: No, I want to order another large pizza.
Her: Another one?
Me: yes. I want a large pepperoni pizza.
Her: Got it. Name?
Me: Jones. (???)
Her: hee hee, Oh, I'm sorry. Hahaha.............(silence)..........(more silence).............(even more silence)..............Hello?
Me: yeah?
Her: I NEED YOUR PHONE NUMBER!
Me: 555-1212*
Her: ok, that will be 55 minutes.
Me: Thanks!

Holy freakin cow! I felt like I was in the twilight zone. Usually it takes 20 minutes, 30 tops. It was the weirdest phone call I've ever had just trying to order pizza. Instead of picking it up on my way home, I came home, killed about 20 minutes, then took the kid to town so he could get some dinner before he had practice. He shoveled a slice down while I was taking him to practice.

I don't know if it's because of her age (she just started going to a jr college,) my age, (I'm older, and tired of putting up with crap and expect businesses to hire people who at least know how to talk on a phone and take a pizza order, if that's part of their business) or do I expect too much?

Is it society as a whole that's flaking out? I've been other places and seen other people who seem very inept at what they are doing, even when they are simple tasks. I don't want to be prejudice, but most of them are younger. Is it the way they have changed the learning process at school maybe where they can't seem to think on their own and come up with their own ideas? I know my kids tests are almost all multiple choice and fill in the blank from a word bank with no essay questions where they actually have to use their brain to reason and think, and not just dump memorized facts out of their faces. It makes me think of Bugs Life, when a leaf gets in the way of the line of ants and they all panic because they can't follow the exact trail. They are panicking because they have no clue what to do, till an older and wiser ant has to lead them. .

What are we coming to, as a society? Or am I just a grump? Nah, that can't be it. :)

Thanks for reading. God bless.