I am taking a vacation for the first time since 2019. Before I start packing, let’s clean out the inbox.
Dear David: You have written in the past about poor customer service, even before the pandemic. Will it ever get any better? Leonard in Greeneville, Tennessee.
Leonard, I have my doubts. I made an appointment with a government-related service that requires in-person documentation. I showed up on time only to find that a dozen other people also had an appointment at that time. There was one agent on duty who was overwhelmed. Appointment times meant nothing. “I’m behind, but I’m catching up,” the agent announced to the growing crowd. Every ten minutes, she would shout, “NEXT?” and whoever was in the biggest hurry would trample over the rest of us. After watching this scene repeat itself a few times, I walked out. Perhaps another day, I thought.
By this time, I was craving Chick-fil-A which was only a few blocks away. As always, the line of cars at the drive-through snaked around the building and out into the street. This may or may not surprise you, but I had my food within ten minutes. Of course, it was exactly what I had ordered.
Chick-fil-A proves that customer service is not a lost art. I’m just glad the government doesn’t run Chick-fil-A, and I think Chick-fil-A could run the government quite efficiently. Let’s put them in charge of the Internal Revenue Service, the Social Security Administration, and the Veterans Administration. You would get good service, a sandwich on the side, and a friendly clerk who would thank you by saying, “It’s my pleasure.”
Dear David: When I was growing up, our judicial system seemed above reproach. Supreme Court justices stayed out of politics and most other judges conducted themselves with dignity. Now it seems like a lot of them are just as corrupt as the politicians. What’s up with that? Ralph in Scottsboro, Alabama.
Ralph, like many other American institutions, our courts have taken a hit during the past few years. As our nation has been split into red and blue factions, our judicial system has not been immune to the political taint. Nothing makes me sadder than hearing that a particular case will be heard by “a Trump-appointed judge,” or “an Obama-appointed judge,” and so on. More often than not, one can predict the outcome of a decision based on the judge’s political connections. Once upon a time, judges were expected to follow the law, and not the wishes of their political benefactor.
Plus, history books are filled with instances in which Supreme Court justices issued opinions based on their conscience rather than the prevailing view of the party of the president who appointed them. I always thought that was a wonderful trait that proved the court was above partisan politics. Now more than ever, a Supreme Court appointment is a political football. Too many stories are emerging about justices accepting gifts from wealthy political donors who have deep ties to a particular party. This is not an encouraging trend.
Dear David, my husband is a plumber. He says you would be doing our nation and his company a huge favor if you would ask people not to flush baby wipes, tampons, and other items down the toilet. Apparently this is something they don’t teach in school. Thank you, Jill in Rome, Georgia.
Jill, I have to admit this never came up in school. I do recall a stern parental lecture about what was flushable and what was not. But not everyone got that lecture, which basically consisted of, “Only toilet paper can go down the toilet.” That seems simple enough, right?
We didn’t have “flushable wipes” back then. The city of Charleston, South Carolina even sued one of the manufacturers for “false and misleading” claims. As a result, Cottonelle Flushable Wipes are now made of materials that break down after being flushed. The same cannot be said for money, cellphones, and underwear. If a plumber finds such items clogging your pipes, you will surely be flushed with embarrassment.
My email address is RadioTV2020@yahoo.com. Your comments and questions are always welcome!
