Sunday, February 19, 2006
The Presumption, Part 1
I went down this evening - that is, down from my apartment to the lobby - to collect a package that was delivered Friday (this being Sunday). I was in no rush; I knew it was a printer cartridge, and the printer is working all right for now.
I presented the tag that the "concierge" - the security guard - leaves on one's mailbox when there is a delivery. This concierge was new to me; I don't know how long he's been working at our building. He brought out the log, looked up the number on the tag (146), and showed me where to sign. I pointed out to him that the entry was for Apartment 206, whereas I live in 202. He insisted that he showed me line 146, which undoubtedly was the case. I pointed out to him, therefore, that 146 must be the wrong number. I then told him when the package was delivered - I knew it was delivered because Pat (one of the regular concierges and who has known me for years) called me when it arrived - and suggested he check that date. This engendered some confusion on his part as he leafed through the log, and then I realized that he was probably weeks off.
He finally did locate the right 146. Presumably, the log counts up to 999 and then starts over again at 0; in other words, he was looking originally in the log at 1000 deliveries prior to this one. Well, perhaps he is new to the job. Or perhaps he is just not that bright. Or both. He seemed mildly insulted when I told him that the log was in chronological order - maybe he really didn't know.
He handed me the log to sign. I filled out the date and time and printed my name. I hesitated to sign, though. I said I would sign when he gave me the package. (The signature, after all, signifies receipt.) He got up and retrieved the package and I signed.
And then he said, "Did you think I would not give you the package?" He said it in a smiling fashion, as I had when I earlier said I wouldn't sign; but he was annoyed, as I had been. I said I didn't think that, but that someone else might have taken the package, or it might be missing. (Under the circumstances, not such an unreasonable assumption.)
Why had I delayed signing? Did I really think he wouldn't give me the package? No, that is absurd. I think I was put off by his incompetence, and more so by the fact that he sat there at his desk and waited for me to sign before he went to get the package. Did I think that he thought that I wouldn't sign? No, that's also absurd.
What is the point of this story? I will try to make it in Part 2.
I presented the tag that the "concierge" - the security guard - leaves on one's mailbox when there is a delivery. This concierge was new to me; I don't know how long he's been working at our building. He brought out the log, looked up the number on the tag (146), and showed me where to sign. I pointed out to him that the entry was for Apartment 206, whereas I live in 202. He insisted that he showed me line 146, which undoubtedly was the case. I pointed out to him, therefore, that 146 must be the wrong number. I then told him when the package was delivered - I knew it was delivered because Pat (one of the regular concierges and who has known me for years) called me when it arrived - and suggested he check that date. This engendered some confusion on his part as he leafed through the log, and then I realized that he was probably weeks off.
He finally did locate the right 146. Presumably, the log counts up to 999 and then starts over again at 0; in other words, he was looking originally in the log at 1000 deliveries prior to this one. Well, perhaps he is new to the job. Or perhaps he is just not that bright. Or both. He seemed mildly insulted when I told him that the log was in chronological order - maybe he really didn't know.
He handed me the log to sign. I filled out the date and time and printed my name. I hesitated to sign, though. I said I would sign when he gave me the package. (The signature, after all, signifies receipt.) He got up and retrieved the package and I signed.
And then he said, "Did you think I would not give you the package?" He said it in a smiling fashion, as I had when I earlier said I wouldn't sign; but he was annoyed, as I had been. I said I didn't think that, but that someone else might have taken the package, or it might be missing. (Under the circumstances, not such an unreasonable assumption.)
Why had I delayed signing? Did I really think he wouldn't give me the package? No, that is absurd. I think I was put off by his incompetence, and more so by the fact that he sat there at his desk and waited for me to sign before he went to get the package. Did I think that he thought that I wouldn't sign? No, that's also absurd.
What is the point of this story? I will try to make it in Part 2.
# posted by Stephen @ 10:04 p.m. 
