Saturday, April 19, 2025

Of little patience

 NN had her Life Conference car wash fund raising and I dropped her in the morning… thinking I can get my car washed also.  I was the first car there… but they were still setting up on the basketball courts so I parked on the side and waited for the markers or traffic directors.  10 minutes before they opened for business…this lady drives onto the basketball court… going the opposite way I would’ve expected the car wash queue to go.  But the Youth Leaders didn’t correct her.  They started washing her car.  Pretty soon… a second car came.  And a third.  All facing… what I consider… the wrong direction.  Whatever…  they’ll regret it later.  Lemme get in line…. I was 4th. 

 I brought my laptop with me and sat on the side to do work.  But after a long time of waiting… and seeing people who came after me already leaving… I got curious.  What was taking so long??? OMG…. What a friggin disaster.  No order.  No process.  No line.  Cars were now parked facing in two directions.  My car was not even touched.  There was one person spraying with water…. And about 10 youths who’ll jump onto soap the car.  Then those same 10 youth will walk over to dry the car.  Then they’ll vacuum the car.  So inefficient.  So impractical. 

 NN saw me… and told me that I should go to lunch and come back.  I looked at her in bewilderment.  No!! I got here 4th… I should leave 4th.  Her excuse was… some cars that came late have to leave.  Ok… we’re a Christian organization.  I get it that some people have a schedule to maintain… but still, how about maintain the integrity of order.  I made an audible gasp… and started talking loudly to people that were also waiting… saying how long I’ve waited.  I loudly say… “I don’t need to get it washed… I’ll just donate and leave.”  Making sure the other Youth Leaders heard me.  And making sure everyone knew I was annoyed.

 I was now standing there staring the Youth leader down.  Poor guy.  He was overwhelmed.  He was spraying cars down.  Moving cars out of the way.  Giving directions to his crew.  He bit off more than he can chew.  And with the 3rd and 4th car still sitting there… he walks over and starts spraying down a later coming mini-van.  The owner of the van was next to me…  and I lose it.   I call out to the other Youth Leader and say, “Can my car be next?”  Preposterous!!!

 After the wash… which I will say, was done fairly well… they still needed to vacuum.  NN said, “It’ll be another 45 minutes.” And she probably wasn’t wrong… so I told the Youth Leader… “I don’t need a vacuum.  Here’s my donation.  Thanks!!”  And I drove off and leave.  As I was leaving… I hear NN talk to that Youth leader within earshot… “My dad needs to have more patience.”   I was gonna get out of the car and make a scene…. But decided to swallow it and just let it be. 

 Patience my @$$.  This was utter buffoonery. 

 

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