More West Coast retardation...

This day simply would not be complete without a call from a Left-Coaster who fits the profile. Sure enough, at 10 minutes past 4:00 Pacific Time (when the local offices are now closed), I get the call. She is from West Vancouver and she wants to know how she can find out if some shoreline activity has been authorized by DFO. Large dump trucks, rocks, soil being dumped, etc. Actually, a pretty valid concern.

So I inform her that the regional DFO offices would have had to approve such a project. I then provide her with their location, their phone and fax number and the hours of operation for the line and the offices. There is silence. "But it's now 10 minutes past four", she replies to this information. "Yes...?", I respond.

"Well can you phone them up or e-mail them directly?" I situate her as to where we are, who we are and what service we provide. "Yes but you must have some sort of direct number for them where you can reach them...?"

"Madam", I intone. "As we have discovered, it is presently past 4:00pm. They are no longer there. Not just for you, they are also no longer there for me. They have gone, period. I promise you I do not have any secret number to contact them, nor would I have their personal home numbers, to be quite honest."

And then, the howling ignorance, that incredible level of bone-headed stupidity kicks in:

"Well... you sure are providing me with some good service, aren't you?", she starts.

"Do you know there are more DFO employees than there are fishermen?"

"It's sure nice to know that we're paying youse all that money...yep. You sure have been a big help!"

And then she hangs up...

I don't know at what point she might have realized just how stupid she sounded. That's obviously what brought on the rant.

It's funny how when confronted with their own stupidity, many folks will try to hold you responsible for it.

In this case, no... YOU, lady... were the one who waited too long. I have been waiting here all day for your call. Where were you? This object in my hand is a telephone... it's not a time machine. I can't go back in time so I can reach your local DFO people before they left work! Are you retarded?

More DFO employees than fishermen...? Undoubtedly, since DFO provides 150 other programs across the length and breadth of this country, not just the coasts. This should come as a surprise to absolutely no one.

You are the one who'se been keeping DFO financially afloat? Well, I always wanted to meet that person. Thanks for having such deep pockets there, Ma'am...

As if you actually had a clue of what you were talking about...