Shocker: Americans are dumb

I don't generally ask very hard questions in my line of work. Pretty simple information we need here people- name, date of birth, address, phone number, age, stuff like that. I'm not asking people who the 22nd President of the United States was or even their grandmother's maiden name. Basic information people. And still, they manage to mess it up.

I cannot tell you how many times I ask for someone's zip code and they respond with (for example) 512 or 770 or 404. I used to just play it off and pause a moment and then say "And your zip code?" Sometimes they would catch it, other times not so much. I am past the point of being polite now. Yesterday someone gave me their area code when I asked for zip code and I just said "ZIP code" with really loud annoying emphasis on the zip. There is only so much one woman can take.

Those people, however, have to be smarter than the people who have no clue what their zip code is. People have literally had to go look it up. They will reply to the question with "I don't know" in a haughty voice that implies that you are asking a silly question that nobody knows the answer to. There are also people who are clueless as to their own phone number, birth date and age. Umm, how did you manage to dial the phone to reach me if you don't know that information?

This whole dealing with the general public on a daily basis thing is definitely overrated.