Hukd on Foniks Wercked 4 Mee!

I'm convinced that a good percentage of the country, or at least the state of Maryland, is illiterate.

It's getting to the point that I don't even have sympathy for these people anymore. I can understand people who aren't familiar with computers needing assistance, but it is now bordering on the absolute epitome of laziness. I have become quite cynical when assisting people now. I feel like the child who is in 2nd grade but belongs in 5th grade, and starts getting in trouble at school, not because he is a bad child but because he is SO BORED. I don't know why I pictured myself as a little boy in that scenario.

But - anywho! I truly enjoy helping people as a profession, but only those who have the will and the want to help themselves. I abhor helping the people who come into my work looking for the easy way out. I am becoming hardened to this cold, cruel world!! Yesterday a man needed help filling out an online application for a job. Admittedly, online applications can be extremely confusing, redundant, and frustrating, and so I don't mind helping those who are truly in need.

HOWEVER - if the answer to your qualms is in a small gray box on the computer screen, in English, right in front of you, and for some reason you refuse to read it and call me over saying something like, "The computer messed up," it had better be a genuine problem with the computer or the website and not a result of the fact that you need me to read one sentence for you.

Example: The aforementioned man filling out the online application - he called me over because "the computer's not letting him go any further." I wasn't exactly having a trying day, but when I saw the reason that the computer would not let him proceed, I felt the need to be somewhat of an ass about it. I read out loud very slowly, "You... Must... Enter.... A... County." Then I pushed "OK" and there was a BIG RED FLAG next to the part where you enter the county. Then I translated the sentence "You must enter a county" in case he STILL didn't understand. "See this box here? Where it says ENTER COUNTY? You need to...ENTER A COUNTY." I think he got the picture after my flamboyant display of aggravation.