Mean People, Fun People

Mean People
Let me begin this entry by saying that overall, my experience with Amtrak staff has been a more than positive one. In the trip from Kansas City to Los Angeles, however, some staff members were less than happy to be on board. They got the job done, but that’s about it. Now, I would not be writing about this had it not been for other passengers’ complaining about the inhospitable staff (it wouldn’t be polite to name individuals, so let’s keep the details aside). Several passengers complained about one ‘gentleman’ who was bossy, rude, and snide. One lady commented, “he was just rude. I just try to avoid him.” Another one confessed, “You know, the staff overall has been great, but that one guy is just a jerk.” Yet another passenger snapped, “he’s nasty. This is a customer service business; he needs to learn to be nice.” One lady rated the staff on her first trip as cordial and friendly, but on the return she complained “they’re just cold.”

The staff does have a full schedule, and maybe their efficiency just comes across as short-tempered. I do have to agree, though, if it weren’t for the people and the scenery, this trip would not have been pleasant.

Fun People
To entertain themselves, people do all sorts of things: a lot of the pass time by relaxing in the observatory and playing card games. Others listen to music, watch movies, play video games, and sleep. I came across a group of scouts who were traveling from Chicago to go hiking. What do they do to keep themselves entertained? “We play card games, pray, and do some writing games.” “What writing games?” I asked. “We write a story by writing one sentence and passing it around." My sister asked me to upload pictures of what people do, so here they are!