Americans are mad as hell, and they're just not going to wait anymore:
An Associated Press poll has found an impatient nation. It's a nation that gets antsy after five minutes on hold on the phone and 15 minutes max in a line. So say people in the survey.
But people aren't necessarily consistent in their dislike of waiting, are they? They'll go ballistic if they have to wait 15 minutes in a grocery line, but they'll stand patiently for more than an hour just to take a few-minutes ride in an amusement park. And why are they so annoyed when they're on hold for five minutes? Can't wait to get back to their three hours of evening TV watching?
I'm not sure where all this impatience comes from. It can't just be the increasing pressures of urban claustrophobia, since those in the suburbs seem to be as demanding as city dwellers. Maybe it's psychological. There's just so much new to experience these days that any time we're left waiting, we're afraid we might miss something.
I've found that a paperback book provides great relief from the misery of waiting. Another few minutes on hold is another few pages. Stuck at the train crossing? No problem, that can be a whole chapter. And I don't even have to pay attention to when the train has passed. The honking horns let me know.
