Only in Israel...
First off, you need to understand that queuing in Israel usually means everyone packed in a clump pushing their way through people to get whatever, or where ever you need. With this in mind my experience at the post office this morning makes a little more sense. I say a little more, because to my mind, it still isn't logical, but then I did say "only in Israel." Anyway, to get back to my story...
Normally, I do not have to wait in any queue at the post office. CFI has a franking machine, so I just frank the mail here in the office and take the packages to the back, drop them off and pick up our mail. Every so often however I will need to go to one of the main desks for some reason. Because CFI is a registered business with the post office I do not take a number and wait to be called (yes, this system is in place at the main post office in Jerusalem since it is so big - at times there can be several hundred people there), instead I go to one of the business lanes and wait my turn. Today was one of the days I had to go wait at a business lane. I was the only one waiting there, so the post office guy told me to sit down and wait, he would call me up when he was ready for me. I decided to do that since experience has taught me that the wait could be up to half an hour. After I had been waiting about 10 minutes another man came in for the business line, and chatted with the women who was working on something at a closed business lane. When the man I was waiting on had finished, I jumped up to make sure this other man who had come in didn't jump in front of me. It was to no avail. I was told that this guy had been their before me. Apparently he had come in earlier decided he didn't want to wait so he left. Anywhere else in the civilized world when you not only leave the queue, but also leave the building the queue is in, you have forfeited your place, but apparently that is not the case in Israel!
Normally, I do not have to wait in any queue at the post office. CFI has a franking machine, so I just frank the mail here in the office and take the packages to the back, drop them off and pick up our mail. Every so often however I will need to go to one of the main desks for some reason. Because CFI is a registered business with the post office I do not take a number and wait to be called (yes, this system is in place at the main post office in Jerusalem since it is so big - at times there can be several hundred people there), instead I go to one of the business lanes and wait my turn. Today was one of the days I had to go wait at a business lane. I was the only one waiting there, so the post office guy told me to sit down and wait, he would call me up when he was ready for me. I decided to do that since experience has taught me that the wait could be up to half an hour. After I had been waiting about 10 minutes another man came in for the business line, and chatted with the women who was working on something at a closed business lane. When the man I was waiting on had finished, I jumped up to make sure this other man who had come in didn't jump in front of me. It was to no avail. I was told that this guy had been their before me. Apparently he had come in earlier decided he didn't want to wait so he left. Anywhere else in the civilized world when you not only leave the queue, but also leave the building the queue is in, you have forfeited your place, but apparently that is not the case in Israel!
 |
| Post Office... |
Comments