Lack Of Efficiency Is Due To A Generational Knowledge Gap

It’s a busy day at the post office, even with all three clerks working. I’m currently third in line waiting to mail a few packages. I am sat next to the second in line, a middle-aged lady who’s been complaining about the lack of efficiency.

She won’t shut up about how she “had to take a number and wait ten minutes just to buy a packet of envelopes, then step out of line, put her letters in the newly-purchased envelopes and write the addresses — three in total — take a new number, and wait another ten minutes to get the letters stamped, paid for, and sent. I mean, it’s ridiculous!” Just as she says that last part, a young woman walks into the post office. She’s probably in her early 20s, wearing a black dress and heeled boots, listening to music. The middle-aged woman immediately shifts her attention to the new arrival, and starts to complain about “today’s youth.”

The young woman does a quick scan of the room before taking a number. Then she walks over to one of the walls, plucks down a packet of windowed envelopes, carefully opens said packet and takes an envelope. She puts her letter in it, and inspects the front before sealing the envelope. Then she sits down, with her letter and the opened packet of envelopes in her lap, pulls a book out of her bag, and starts to read.

The middle-aged lady, having stuttered out a few confused noises while gesturing towards the young woman, is finally called to the counter and complains, mostly about the actions of the young woman — “I mean, she can’t do that! Just taking envelopes like that? That’s stealing!” — throughout the entire transaction, wasting another five minutes before leaving in a huff, glaring at the young woman.

The young woman is eventually called up to the clerk next to me. She takes out both earbuds — where most younger people, in my experience, would only remove one — hands the clerk the letter and the opened packet of envelopes, pays for both, smiles and thanks the clerk, and leaves with the rest of her envelopes. The whole transaction takes less than 30 seconds.

“Lack of efficiency,” indeed.