The Toll Booth Girl

I wanted to write this post yesterday but was too busy with work and by the time I got home, I was too lazy to log on and blog. Yes, I can get lazy to blog too these days. Ok, this is a rant. Well, not a real rant in the proper sense of the word but a rant all the same.

I'm sure all of you guys with cars and even those that don't would have at one time or another made a stop at a toll plaza to pay the toll, right? And most of you would politely say thank you or something along those lines when you get your change or your toll receipt, right? In fact, I don't know why we have to say thank you to them when we're actually paying them. It should be the other way round.

And do you notice how almost all of this toll booth collectors have this darn sour face like as if it's your fault that they're sitting inside a small toll collection box. And this is the norm with most toll plazas here. Granted, there are a few nice toll collectors who wish you a good day and even say thank you (a rare few, I must say) but the majority of them are just a bunch of sour faced morons!

Now, I normally don't give two hoots about their sour disposition but yesterday I lost it and gave a toll booth girl a few angry pieces of my mind!

I have to pass through two toll booths on the way to work every morning, which is the New Pantai Expessway (NPE). It's the fastest and least stressful way for me to get to work. Before I get into telling you about this stupid toll booth girl, let me tell you a thing or two about the NPE.

In my humble opinion, the NPE normally has one of the better mannered toll attendants. They never fail to wish you a good morning and always say thank you when returning your change. They're pretty friendly people and there have been occassions when they've even asked me how my day went ... Yes, NPE gets my vote as the friendliest and most courteous toll plaza around.

But one rotten apple can spoil the whole bunch sometimes. Yesterday when I was at the toll paying my usual toll. I gave the girl RM1.70 and was waiting for my change of 10 cents and the toll receipt.

Me: 'Tolong bagi resit, ya adik.' (Can I have the receipt please, Miss)

So I stick out my hand waiting for my change and receipt and this girl just chucks the change and receipt so forcefully into my hand with this look of displeasure on her face like as if I was making life so difficult for her by asking for my change and receipt. What did she expect? For me to say keep the change?

And you should have seen the look on her face. A look of plain disgust. Now that really was a mistake, cos I was already pissed on the way to work as we had some serious client problems that needed to be settled fast. I lost my cool and in a really raised and heated voice screamed at her. The conversation was in Malay, but for the sake of my foreign readers, I'll keep it to just English.

Me: 'Just what is your freaking problem? Why the heck are you so rude? Is it my freaking fault that you have to sit in that toll booth all day? If you don't like this job, then quit and get a new job or something but don't go dumping your displeasure on your customers, you stupid idiot!'

Trust me, I think I was so vocal the other toll plaza next to it would have probably heard the encounter. You should have seen the shock in her face cos she instantly started stuttering an apology. I don't think she was ever used to have anyone shouting like a crazy fool at her cos she had this really frightened look on her face. Well, good for her, she deserved to be scared!

What is it really with all these toll booth attendants? Why are all of them a majority of grumpy old soured faced people? It's not like there were forced to sit there or anything. If they don't like their job, then just quit, right?

Is it so wrong to utter a good morning or even a simple thank you instead of having this sour face all the while? Everyone has problems but do you bring them along to work with you and let it out on other people? I should think not!

Well, that was my rant for the day. At least I know she won't be going and giving anyone else that crappy attitude for a while. At least I hope not ... LOL! But then, thinking back, maybe I was a little too harsh with her. If I do see her again at the toll booth tomorrow or something, maybe I should apologise for being so pissed off .... then again, maybe not, cos she sure deserved it ... hahaha!
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