The other day I was shopping at the local Chinese grocery store. There was a line at the fish counter, but only one staff person was there to take care of the customers. Some customers ordered quite an amount of fish for that staff person to work on. At last I was the second in line. All I wanted was a couple of crabs and should get out of there in no time.
Noticing it was very busy at the fish counter, another staff person came over to help. I was ready to be served, but the staff person went to the end of the line and began to help a couple of ladies with snail (蜗牛). The customers in front of me, being served, turned around and looked at me sympathetically and the customer behind me called to the staff person, “You should start here,” pointing at me. He was, well, ignored.
If someone asked me, "What is the most important rule to follow in America?" I would reply without hesitation. "Wait your turn at all times." Wherever you go here in this country, you will find people waiting in a line quietly to get anything: whether in the supermarkets, department stores, bus stops, or gas stations, it's just a matter of waiting your turn. In a larger sense, "wait your turn" is more than just a guideline — it is a very basic rule that reflects the fundamental value of the western cultures. But in some situations your turn does not always come based on when you get there and how long you have waited in line, just like my case at the store. Even though this did not often happen, it did make me feel upset.