Speaking of Government Run Operations...

Below I discuss the Montana Cities' attempts to buy Northwestern Energy. Consider a government run utility in light of the following, sent to me by a friend:

On Thursday 7/28/05 I went to the local IRS office on 5th Street in Great Falls, as I had some questions. Upon arrival at the IRS office on the third floor of the building, I found myself the third of three people there for assistance. I was instructed to take a number by pressing a button on a small dispenser machine that corresponds to my needs - requesting forms, information about a return, filing of a form etc. I pressed the button that would be relevant to my issue, received my number and stood in line.

The first person to be helped was at the counter, as was I and the second person (who by the way is an acquaintance of mine). When the IRS employee finished helping the first person, the customer turned to leave and the employee turned and went back to her cubicle, out of sight of the service counter or either of us standing there. There was a substantial pause and my acquaintance turned to me and said "she will not come back until the bell sounds". Sure enough after about another minute or so a bell sounded and the same IRS Clerk comes back around from her cubicle to the service counter and calls out for the number of my acquaintance who is next to be helped. Now please remember from the time she finished helping the first person and he left there are only two of us left in the entire office on the public side of the counter.

My friend presented the clerk with a form and a check for a form filing and told her that she did not have to process it immediately as he would come back for his copies the next day. She said fine and he left. Now I was the only customer left in the office and the clerk returned to her cubicle out of sight. I stood there for whatever amount of time it took the number machine to ring the bell. Sure enough the bell rang and the Clerk returned to counter and asked for my number which I promptly gave her along with the explanation of why I was there.

I honestly am not making this up. The lady leaves the counter with a customer standing there and returns to her cubicle until the bell rings to tell her that someone is standing there and then and only then does she come to the counter. It was truly one of the most bizarre things I have ever witnessed.

Then, I went back to the IRS office this morning to try and get some forms and re-read the sign accompanying the number dispenser with the instructions. And the last bullet item on the instructions clearly states that you are to follow all the instructions even if you are the only person in the lobby - which today I was. I can understand the little bell ringing if the clerk is behind her cubicle wall and cannot see or hear (hard to believe couldn't hear as the office is not that large) someone coming in but as I explained to you earlier, each time a person left the office and others of us were standing there, she returned to the cubicle and did not reappear until the bell tolled - good book title "The IRS; For Who the Bell Tolls".

The only thing this story is missing is one little phrase. Now I am not sure this phrase appears on the number dispensing sign, but I'll bet my bottom dollar it does: "In order to serve you better...."