By Nan Donovan, columnist
How is the work force where you live? Do the stores, factories and bank and all the other places of business seem, to you, to have sufficient help?
I keep seeing the signs posted outside the businesses, “Help Wanted.” At one place I frequent, a drive- in burger place, there is always something wrong with the order. They give you the wrong type of sandwich, the wrong drink, etc. and you can bet, three out of four times there will be a mix-up.
Last Tuesday was the last straw. There were three of us in the car and we ordered as we usually did. I was expecting our bill to be around $20. It was $33 and once again, they had given me the wrong sandwich. That’s it. No more going there for lunch.
At the bank where it looked to me that about a year ago they had a sufficient amount of people to do their job and keep things running smoothly. Now when I go into the bank I see about five or six people. When I have to phone them, I usually get put on hold or it goes to voicemail. Why has it changed?
All local media says the economy is up, the president seems very pleased that thousands of jobs have been created and jobs are more plentiful than they have been in 10 years. Why do they hire and keep people like the one who works at that drive-in burger joint I just mentioned?
Has anyone else noticed lately how people dress for work, how it seams as if all courtesy with the employees is a thing of the past? I don’t mean just the younger employees, it seems to be a disease among everyone. But the good thing is, not all stores are alike.
Last week I had to go into the DMV to get my license plate renewed. I gave the lady the paper needed to get the license and my check. She told me they were already paid for. It confused me. I didn’t have the blue stickers for my plate and I was sure I hadn’t paid for them. She said no matter, got the blue sticker for my plates and went out to put them on for me. I had never gotten that service in the 65 years I had been driving! So courteous. I didn’t get her name, but she is the one who should be teaching others plain, decent manners or how to treat your customers.
When I got home, I found the mix-up. I had gotten another car a week ago. They had paid for the plates and forgotten to give them to me.
There are many Senior Citizens working at jobs they’ve had many years or some work part-time. Have you ever had to deal with them? Most all of them remember their manners and how to deal with people. Keep- it up. We need more of you.
Till next time. Be safe.
“The Right Age” is a weekly column written for senior citizens by 84-year-old Nan Donovan, who has lived in the Shenandoah Valley for 45 years. She has worked for newspapers, as well as radio and television stations, including WLCC. She moved to the Valley from Pennsylvania.
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