Second Rate

Today I needed a same-day appointment with my doctor. I called several times and could not get through. As instructed, I left a message. No one phoned me back. This morning I was informed that my rental insurance had lapsed, so I called my agent. On the phone I learned that I actually did have paid-up insurance, but for unknown reasons my insurance company was keeping that fact to themselves. I walked to the apartment's business office and got their fax number so my insurance company could make good on their lapse. 

Here's the thing.  Some of the businesses I deal with get nothing done right the first time. I have tried to guess why. Some businesses are understaffed to save money. The clerks are underpaid to save money, and the business hires mediocre staff that turns over rapidly, so no one really masters a job or has any reason to care. 

 I lost my passport in a fire, so I went down to the post office to fill out some papers and have a photo taken for a replacement passport. I paid up and sent all that in. Six weeks later I received  a notification from the State Department that the photo--taken by the government--was too overexposed. I returned to the post office, got another photo and mailed it in. There has been no response. I no longer expect to get a passport. Maybe next year I will try again.