Heat and Unhappy People

70 this morning, and hot and muggy all day, high of 82 with strong breezes, but so hot sweat dripped in my eyes while I was painting furniture.

Larry planted potatoes today, just in time for the rain that just started at dark. I had to admire his fortitude--I had no interest in being in the garden when the heat was so miserable. I retreated to the workroom and worked on furniture. 

In the morning we had running to do. We both needed to renew our drivers licenses, so that was top of the list. While we were getting the paperwork done, a man came in, saying he had an appointment. The clerk told him he did not, and he argued, loudly, saying he'd talked to someone earlier who said to come in. Eventually he got so angry he left, shouting obscenities as he went. I've been in the DMV offices many times in my life, but never heard anyone get so angry. 

Soon after, a woman came in to get her license reinstated. Apparently she'd lost it for some reason--and it had cost her 4000 dollars so far to get to where she could get it reinstated. But she didn't have what she needed, or couldn't so what she wanted in this field office, and she began shouting at the clerk, the supervisor, and everyone in general. She too left shouting curses at everyone. The rest of us were shocked, and Larry asked the clerk helping us, "Do y'all get combat pay?' Eventually the man who had been so angry came back and apologized and the staff explained the mistake that had caused his problems. The woman sat outside as we left, calling the main DMV, I suppose to get someone to verify that she was in the right. I sure hope she didn't go back in and cause more trouble.

Both these people made me wonder: are we so stressed out these days? Does that make us feel free to curse others when we can't get our way? This was a small, rural office, not a big urban place where maybe you'd be more likely to expect unusual behavior. Here, people are polite usually, interested in each other. Granted that DMV offices can be frustrating places--I've had my share of that, the paperwork is often confusing and complicated. But to go off like that in public, flinging the F word and worse at people who are just trying to follow procedure? Is it COVID that is causing such stress?

I have to say, I felt no sympathy for the woman who had lost her license. She had to have done something pretty egregious to have lost it, and getting it back is on her. And yet, the stress of having to go through all the hoops, paying fines, whatever else was involved, that has to be a difficult process. But cursing and yelling and banging doors didn't help her cause. 

The upside of all this was the demeanor of the staff, and the other customers. The staff continued working despite the stress this had to have caused them. Customers let them know that they were sorry the staff had to endure such behavior. The old man beside us said, laughing, "Let me know if she pulls a gun so I can jump over the counter." In the end, all was calm when we left, but I wonder, how often do these workers have to deal with such behavior? My hat is off to them.

Copyright Susanna Holstein. All rights reserved. No Republication or Redistribution Allowed without attribution to Susanna Holstein.