Uppity guard

When accompanying a friend to the U.S. Embassy, a guard named Sampurno approached me, flicked a dismissive hand at me and said "get over there" in a tone one would use with a disobedient dog.

Upon asking what the problem was, he said, "Get out, get outside and stand outside the fence."

Quite a few people witnessed this and looked poker-faced, as though it was customary behavior toward visitors outside the visa section.

Upon telling him that he could be more polite, that he was dealing with human beings and not animals, he still waved a dismissive arm and told me to get outside.

I admit that I was perhaps standing in the wrong place, but perhaps the embassy should put up "no standing" signs to save visitors there the unpleasant experience of having to deal with people who have absolutely no idea how to deal with the public. Or hire staff with better people skills.

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