An acquaintance informed me about an interesting blog: marginalrevolution.
Today on marginalrevolution there is a link to the question: Which personality types let you cut in line?: ‘Back in the 70's, a classic study showed that people using a photocopier were just as likely to give way to a line-pusher who gave the nonsense excuse "because I need to make copies", as they were to one who gave the more sensible excuse "because I'm in a rush". Ellen Langer and colleagues interpreted their finding as showing how mindless we often are. As soon as we hear the word "because", we assume the excuse that follows is justified and respond accordingly. Now Scott Key and colleagues have replicated this classic study, with the further aim of finding out if some personality types are more likely than others to give way.’

I have never been a line-pusher and I say this with regret. I just think it is not very aristocratic to bother other people with your needs. I love to stand in line pensively. Or rather I’d love the other waiters to think: oh, there is a patient and pensive man.