Temporary Help Needed: Have you mastered basic arithmetic?

Recently at the post office: I would like to send a parcel addressed abroad. Two customers are served at the branch, and the next customers are waiting in front of the entrance. There is, well, a job vacancy there. It’s a very funny read, but it probably reveals a more serious background.

When looking for a temporary assistant on the basis of 450 euros, finding the right candidates should be very difficult despite the low threshold requirements: “You are not completely disturbed? Do you know basic arithmetic? Can you speak German? You can read the clock Don’t you have a syndrome Exhaustion after 5 hours of work?”

Inside, there are two employees at the table: one who has been working there for a long time, is very relaxed and is not suspected of fatigue, and Candidate B, whom I have never seen before, looks impressive. Perhaps because we do not know each other yet, fate chose her as editor.

I approach and greet in a friendly manner and pass her the package, which must correspond to certain dimensions and must not weigh more than two kilograms. It should be appropriate if kitchen scales measure reasonably reliably. When she puts her hands on the package, the young woman groans and groans that she is not really good at mathematics, which goes against the requirements of the declared job: “That’s not two kilograms!”

In my opinion, this has nothing to do with math at first, but I keep that to myself, after all I want to get rid of the package I already paid for online. So I just look stupid, as if I don’t understand what you mean. “This is a very heavy road!” , determines, weighs the package and nods: “2100 grams!” The statement reveals her assessment as an exaggeration, but in the end she is right, the packaging exceeds the maximum weight limit.

“And it’s too big, too,” she continued to grumble while hacking into her computer keyboard. She’s wearing false nails, which of course is a matter of taste and is only mentioned here because the nails make it obvious that pressing the correct letter keys is difficult.

Then you find what you’re looking for and rock the right maximum dimensions of width, height and length until I let my shoulders drop in surrender and I answered that I only cared about the maximum total length of all sides. She hesitated, looked at the packaging and said, “Ah, that’s going to go outside, I haven’t seen that.” This does not make the packaging lighter, so she lifts it back on the counter with deliberate effort and rolls her eyes.