Yesterday, the family and I went to a Mexican food joint. We had a 2-for-1 coupon for the meal, and we figured it would be a good deal. We ordered an appetizer, two entrees, a kiddie meal and drinks. Since we have a 13-month old, we went at 1 p.m. at the end of lunch hour. It's always best to bring wee ones at off hours to restaurants. The meals were all right and Donna Rose only made a modest mess of her meal. After waiting an inordinate amount of time for the check, I found out they didn't include the coupon. I pointed this out, and they refigured the check. It came back, and they took off the appetizer, and not the meals. Close enough, I thought.

This seems to be happening everywhere these days. People cannot do their jobs very well (especially in the retail world), and they end up taking it out on the customers.

I was in a Walgreen's recently, and I asked a man where the rubbing alcohol was. He pointed to where it was like I should have always known, sighed and shuffled away. Such is the burden when you work in a store and have all kinds of items scattered in no particular order.

A few days ago, I went to Cost Plus to buy wine, coffee and chocolate. Three necessities in my life these days. I knew where everything was, I selected everything by myself (although their wine section had shrunk in size and selection), and went up to counter. The cashier was having difficulty with someone's rewards coupon. I waited and waited. Another cashier opened up and I moved over to the next line. Would I like a coffee card? No, thank you. You don't want free coffee? Silence. Would you like to sign up for our rewards program? We just need your name, address, phone and e-mail. No thanks. It'll save you money. Silence. Okay, but you could be saving money. I will not be returning to Cost Plus for awhile.

I went to the bank to deposit some money. I drive a cab, so it was a decent amount of cash. A lady kept going up and down the line asking what everyone's business was. I just need to make a deposit. Have tried using the ATM? I'd prefer not to (I don't like putting hundreds of dollars in a machine, hoping all goes well). Are you sure, I can show you how. I'd prefer not to. Really.

So this is the way these days. I either don't get the deals they advertise, I get an attitude, or I get badgered for not being in their special programs or working their machines correctly. And people wonder why consumer confidence is low.

Have you been to the post office these days? It's pathetic.

I'll be honest. I'm not much of a consumer these days, but I never was. Most of purchases involve food or booze. I rarely have any difficulty at a package liquor store. I find the booze easily (it's everywhere). I bring up the booze. They card me. They ring it up. I pay them. I leave with the booze. Simple. No nonsense. No attitude. If only all of consumer life was so simple.

Everywhere else, there's a catch. Or a deal. Or something else I should get. Sometimes the machines don't work. Sometimes the cashiers don't work. Sometimes the items don't work. Sometimes the system is down. What system? I don't really know.

We're in a recession. Or coming out of one. Or about ready to double dip into another one. It depends on who you talk to, but one thing is sure, even with high unemployment, people still hate their jobs enough to take it out on the rest of us. Apparently, there is a lack of civility in America, and it's not just our celebrities, sports stars and politicians. It's our workers, our tellers, our cashiers. It's everyone.

Is dealing with people a burden? Do people really want the jobs they have? I have bad days in the cab, but I do my best never to take it out on my customers. They have to be lousy to me before I respond in kind.

Maybe we're all lousy. Maybe the customers are wrong. Maybe we all are.

I have no solution. I can do nothing but bitch. So there you are. I'm just warning you. Christmas season is just around the corner, so you'd better be careful. These people have been practicing their awful service all year long.

Chris Jungle does not want to give you any of his information.