I listened to a very upset camper today who didn't think he should have to pay the $10 day use fee to take his grandkids sledding in one of our NV campgrounds. He had an Golden Age Passport from the Forest Service, but it unfortunately doesn't apply to Day Use. It does give a 50% discount on overnight camping. I had a tough time knowing what to tell him, even though I did my best to explain what the fee paid for. He believed his tax money paid for those things and didn't want to listen. It rattled me a bit, but gratefully I was patient enough to listen with out getting upset back at him. Although I know I didn't solve his problem, I think he felt heard and was able to get it off his chest. I guess it's practice for the camping season. I've had a nice break from listening to complaints over the winter. . . . . Patience is a wonderful virtue that I get to cultivate at work talking to complaining visitors on the phone. I'm not sure how well I would do face to face with upset campers like the campground managers have to deal with.
I sure am grateful for all the people who are patient with me.
