It's always eye-openingly informative and enjoyable (at least to me) to watch low-level bureaucrats trip a mental circuit breaker when a citizen refuses to vomit up any and all information that said employees demand, especially in situations where the information isn't required or needed at all to accomplish the task at hand.
Today's case: I called the City of Scottsdale, Arizona this afternoon to sign up for water/sewer/garbage service, and I had the following (paraphrased) exchange with John, the functionary on the other end of the line:
John: OK, I need your phone number, house address, title escrow number, etc.
Me: Sure. (Gives information)
John: I'm also going to need your Social Security number.
Me: Why?
John: For identification purposes.
Me: I'm sorry, I only give out that number in a tax income situation.
John: Well, this isn't a tax situation.
Me: Exactly.
John: (Sputtering) Well, that information isn't given out to anyone.
Me: Technically. Read the news lately about ID theft?
John: OK, we don't need that, then.
Me: (Thinking) Then why the hell did you ask me for it in the first place?
They're going to love having me in town.
I'll tell you what, John. If I don't pay the bill, shut off my water and stop picking up my garbage. The IRS doesn't need to know if we're feuding.
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1 comment:
Scottsdale eh? I see the Northern Muckraker is moving up in the world! :)
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