The Lesson In Patience

It's really wonderful being in the Post Office - for half an hour you play witness to many forms of human behaviour, mostly bad but what do you expect from Malaysian? So there I was trying to renew my driving license (could you believe it? it has been expired for like two months now) during lunch time which I knew was a bit mistake (crowded). Not a problem when my office is just across the road and my time is so flexible that I can hop by again later.

So come half past two and very much to my dismay, the place is still crowded. I knew that I have to leave by three to catch a meeting and there were like more than 15 people ahead of me. Naturally, only two counter were opened (even though another clerk eventually sway by but he took his own sweet time and when I left, still no additional counter was opened) and plenty waiting to pay bills. I really can't understand that in this day of internet and phone banking and direct debit from credit card that there are still plenty going to post office to settle the troublesome bills. Maybe in rural areas but this is KL. Aside from bill payer, there are plenty of them in it for stamps. As usual the stamp counter is there to look pretty. Some of the bastards will just cut queue/number and jump in even though their numbers were not called. In fact some of these (normally they are quite ugly looking) monsters don't even have numbers. Sure, getting a stamp or two doesn't take too much time but imagine if there were tons of you doing that...then whats the point of us responsible and courteous citizen taking a number then? It makes the waiting even longer.

I would like to see one of them come up to the counter when my number is called and I will surely bark at them, lucky for them or they knew they shouldn't mess with me, none came up. Then there's this freeloader who come up to a friend of his that he saw and suddenly act all friendly - what else, the usual can-I-join-you-unfairly-in-the-queue. You see these bastards everywhere, to pay for economy rice, to take freebies, to buy McDonalds' toys. I don't see them acting all friendly when its time to line up to die. Lastly of course there the blur sotongs in the form of foreign students who are there to send postcards back to the entire village and every countries in Europe. Normally it takes a minute of two but wait, this one I want priority mail, that one ooh too expensive maybe just a normal speed and I think this one need that blue sticker, you know that one, the one with the bird, yes the air mail I think. And these bitches carry postcards as thick as a deck of play cards. Really, I texted my AM and told him that this is like the best patience theraphy ever! He replied by saying that he can't believe this could be worst than buying movie tickets! Oh, the good, the bad and the ugly - all in half an hour in small post office at the corner. They really can test the patience of saints.



Which comes to mind, why saint? Why not patience of a gay man waiting for THE ONE? how bout patience of Daniel waiting for his Gucci belt? I suppose some of these ancient matyrs are well known for resisting temptations, suffer in silence when presecuted and hence patiently waiting to go to heaven and I read about this one who is so fierce about her virginity that she blinded herself when some suitor complimented her eyes. Good for her because I can't wait to lose mine and here we have a lady who protected hers to death. There's actually a list of Saints for every type of occupations and activities and no suprise there that doctors and those in the business of risky business have plenty of good fellas and women watching them from up above. A quick search under advertising, marketing or even sales and there's none. But I am not suprised. After all, it's a well known thing that all advertising people go to hell. We smoke, we drink, we party and we lie through our teeth just to close a deal. The closest one for me would be Saint Jadwiga, the patron saint for Queens, maybe I can qualify for that. Well, worst come to worst there's always Blessed Virgin Mary who is for everyone and everything. Very good of the Catholic Church for not leaving anyone out. Maybe learning to be just a tiny weeny patient about things are good. After all, thats my weakest point and I absolutely hate to wait, lines or whatever. So everyone, lets all learn to be a bit patient. It's the closest thing to being a saint (eiher than or if you can afford to buy Yves Saint Laurent aka YSL). Yes, Cookie...please be patient as I will reveal the book I bought soon enough. Remember patience. Patience. Patience.