Why is the entire service sector in England under the illusion that these words hold some magical effect? "Your phone won't be available until Monday sir, we apologise for the inconvenice of leaving you stranded and out of reach for the next 4 days"; "Sorry sir, you're flight's been delayed for 4 hours, but I hear there's a Slug and Lettuce around the corner"; "Please accept our apologies sir, the DLR and the Jubilee line are both closed for a reason we are not ready to disclose, and you have no way of getting home from work."
Everywhere you look, there's an apology. Your mail, the nearest dysfunctional ATM machine, and sometimes when you're lucky, when someone pushes you aside on the tube.
Yes, being in Britain is all about non-confrontation. But I'm just tired of getting the lame apology every time I'm disappointed. Maybe I'm too Americanised (though I beg to differ, as now I spell apologise with an "s" not a "z") but at this point I actually get angry when someone tries to say they're sorry. The poor call-centre folk have undoubtedly black-listed me at this point. I don't want an apology, I want my issue resolved or to be compensated in some way that does not involve empty meaning.
JD, true to form, posts as his facebook status yesterday "JD is waiting for you to call". Though I am well aware that the world does not revolve around me, I couldn't help but wonder if the status was directed at me. Me call you? On my birthday, and after all you've done?
Still, I found a certain charm in the fact that he did not attempt an apology. Just then I remember I haven't checked voicemail in days. As I had guessed, he did call. Not to say happy birthday, not to say I'm sorry, but to return my earlier call and say that he missed talking to me.
I've decided I'm not three, and I don't need a happy birthday- and definitely not an apology. Maybe later tonight I'll give him a call. He has a lot of self-proving to do in a very short time.
No comments:
Post a Comment