I was called names on a discussion board

[curiouspat]

Welcome, Skid,

You've found a GREAT website. Let us know if we can help.

What happened to you, happens all the time, here in Miami. Simple business etiquette says that a clerk should be focused and acknowledging the patron whose turn it is. Yeah, right! There's nothing wrong with a clerk smiling at a new customer, but then they should go right back to the current customer, etc....

I will say, with a smile, 'excuse me, but it is my turn now." Seems to shake them up, that an American, just won't take it. If they try to continue, I say, "excuse me, where's the mananger?" Then I take the time to follow up, with a smile and an air of concern. I will suggest to the manager, that his employees be taught some business etiquette. That his/her customers will be much happier, if after WAITING FOR THEIR TURN, they actually get taken care of.

An extreme example of this, happened at Miami International Airport, after 9/11. Those of you who flew, oh, must have been within 6 months of 9/11, remember the horrible wait times. We waited for 2 hrs in a line to get up to the ticket agent. It was my turn , when this woman comes, hurriedly, next to me, interrupts and starts asking a question of the agent. I listened for a moment, to see if she was talking about an imminent flight. She was talking about a flight the next day! I said "Excuse me, the line forms at the rear." The line was about 50 people long. The agent looked at me, the woman too, then she ignored me and started trying to speak with the agent, again. Again, I said that the line formed at the rear. She responded (not kidding, here, folks, will NEVER forget this), "I'm Cuban, I don't have to obey your rules." Evidently she also didn't feel the need for common courtesy, either. I just looked at the agent, got her eyes, and said over and over, the line forms at the rear, until the woman gave up. People in line, close enough to hear this exchange, actually clapped! I didn't leave the situation for the poor overworked agent to handle. We had all waited ~2 hrs., that woman could wait, too.

Goodness, hadn't thought of that one, in a LONG time!

[skid]

I'm Cuban, I don't have to obey your rules

sounds kind of familiar, I guess it does not matter to some where they are in the world. Only their own rules apply.

-It must be a disruptive and chaotic place these people come from.

is it possible to post a GIF image?
I see the IMG, but not sure how to use it.