The way things should work

We lost the TV remote. (I was not the last one who had the remote, but for household definition purposes, “we” lost the remote.)

Priscilla and I looked everywhere, as people are prone to do when looking for something lost. When the remote remained among the lost things, Priscilla called Bright House and was told the company could mail a replacement, which should arrive in four days. Priscilla asked if we could get a replacement at a local office. Of course, she was told.

Priscilla, John and I went to the local office. The line inside reached to the front door. John and I stayed in the car, and Priscilla went inside.

(An aside: While waiting in the car, I saw a young man walk from the office. He had a cable TV box and a remote and several coaxial cables. He dropped all inside a large metal container labeled “Equipment.” I did not know customers could just drop valuable electronic devices into a big metal box. Maybe the devices are not as monetarily valuable as I thought.)

After 20 minutes, Priscilla returned, with a new remote. And batteries. She got in the car. She said, “That was easy.” She said she told a young woman of the lost remote. The young woman said, “No problem,” went to a shelf and returned with a new remote. “Here you are.” My wife asked, “You don’t want any ID or address?” The young woman smiled and said, “Nope. Can I help you with anything else?” Priscilla said, “No. You have been most helpful.”

That happened after the hour-long wait at the tax collector office, where a clerk wanted to see a marriage license as part of proof for getting a drive’s license. The dissimilarity between officious bureaucracy and “Fix the problem” Bright House was amazing.