TIME flies, even when you’re not having fun. I can’t believe it’s already 2013. Seems like only yesterday that we were hyping about ushering in the New Millennium. Does anyone even remember what they did in 2000? I don’t remember much, but I do remember the birth of my niece a year later. I can’t believe she’s already 12 when I was changing her diapers just the other day! Speaking of time, our accountant completely got the timing wrong regarding our salaries. Remember how I told you we weren’t paid before Christmas? Well, the lady charged with making our transfers waited until New Year’s Eve to do so. Of course banks were closed, which I found strange since they had opened on Boxing Day. So, 2013 found me as broke as ever. I just hope the rest of my year doesn’t play out the way it started. I listened as my friends made their resolutions for 2013 and decided I wouldn’t set any myself since I don’t stick to them anyway. Instead, I thought of a few things I would like others to change, if not about themselves, then at least about their service and here they are:Sloppy bank tellers need to step up You can’t keep dragging your feet when you can clearly see long queues of exasperated clients. Some tellers chat and enjoy their coffee as we wait. One particular girl irks me every time. She’ll wait for you to approach the counter and then start counting piles and piles of cash. When she finally decides to serve you, it feels like she’s doing you a favour. I was so mad this time I decided to give her one of my angry looks and it’s not pretty. Not that it changed anything but I still scowled at her. She counted my money like a thousand times, slotting it into the electronic machine again and again. Only the glass between us stopped me from reaching my hand out and snatching it from her. When she finally handed it over, I decided to count it as well, something I don’t usually do, but felt I needed to do this time. It was not only less than the amount I’d requested but there were also two torn notes which I promptly slid across the counter towards her. I had to wait another 5 minutes but I have a feeling she got the point that this was an angry customer.Restaurants also need to give us our money’s worth I know it’s a business but some things don’t make sense. If I want a take out, don’t make me pay for the plastic fork or spoon. What am I supposed to eat the food with? Same goes for people who charge extra for salad or vegetables. Stop the exploitation please. But the worst is when you’re served stale food. It’s not only unprofessional but puts our well-being at risk. Selfish neighboursThis includes people who blast music late at night and those who want to visit all the time and won’t leave even after poaching your dinner. But there are also some who just do senseless things, like the guys who keep filling our road with soil dug up from their compound. Some thoughtful people had filled the potholes on our road with sand bags but these goons decided to offload their soil on top of the sandbags. The rain came down and you can imagine the mess. To be continued…