I usually don’t need any help looking like an idiot, but I got some yesterday.

I rarely use the post office anymore. We have the ability to print our own postage, so I usually do it at home. I do this mainly because the workers at our post office are so rude–you know, reinforcing the typical federal employee stereotype and everything. There are a couple great folks there, but there are a couple of real doozies. Another reason we print our postage at home is that we mail such large numbers of items at a time that I really hate to have to stand at the counter and take up so much time while others are waiting. However, yesterday, I had to send a couple certified letters, and I didn’t have the forms at home to use with online postage, so I just ran by the P.O.

I hit the P.O. about 3 PM, and true to form, only two of the five windows were open, and there was a line of victims customers a mile long. I grabbed my certified mail forms and used the counter at the back of the line to begin filling them out. In comes a lady and just walks past me to cut in line. I just grabbed my forms, walked around the lady, and continued to fill them out. The lady just kind of looked around at the long line and left.

As I continued with my forms, I could see out of the corner of my eye another person come in and walk behind me. The person also walked past me and cut in line then said, "Is this the end of the line?" Without even looking over, I began to say, "Actually, I’m the end of the line." I turned to look over in mid-sentence and saw that this was an elderly lady walking with a cane. I added that she could keep my place. She said she would give me back my spot, and before I could insist she keep it, she walked past me to the back of the line. Then, a guy two spots ahead of us told her she could go ahead of him, while glaring at me like I was a total loser. I have to be honest, that kind of made me mad. And, honestly, I wanted to tell the guy that he was welcome to let anyone he wanted in line if he wanted to take their space at the end of the line, but rather than cause a scene and act as a jerk (rather than just be thought one), I didn’t say anything, though I could feel the wrath of everyone in line. Not to be outdone by Mr. Nice Guy, another gentleman at the head of the line offered the lady his place, which she took (again without Mr. Nicer Guy going to the back of the line). Well, the lady really emphasized her dependence on the cane as she took her place at the head of the line. To make things as embarrassing as possible to me, her daughter (or whoever was with her) went to both Mr. Nice Guy and Mr. Nicer Guy and loudly thanked them for giving up their places (which they didn’t really do because the just let her cut in front of them).

Within a couple moments, the lady was called to a window for help. On her walk to the window, I noticed that she seemed much steadier on her feet than before. Once there, she bought 100 stamps, which we all know are $37.00. At this time, she procedes to dig in her purse for her checkbook and a pen and meticulously write out her check, asking several times how much it was. Once done, she took her stamps and headed for the door.

So, my question for you all is this: Am I a total insensitive jerk?

Would it make a difference if I told you that I have given up my space in numerous grocery and other lines over the years, and in fact would have given up my space this time had she not just assumed should could take my space because she wanted it?

Further, am I even more evil because I think Mr. Nice Guy and Mr. Nicer Guy should have gone to the back of the line when they gave her their places? I would appreciate your comments.

Oh by the way, there is one more tidbit of info that might help to inform your opinion. Once she paid for her stamps and left, she left her previously much-needed cane hanging off the edge of the postal counter. Somehow she managed to make it out to her daughter’s car un-aided. I wonder how that could have happened? The daughter eventually came back in to retrieve the essential device.