上班族必備軟實力

**Richard has been in Taiwan long enough to know how the system works.

Taiwan has many places that use the take-a-number system, but the system is international. Most people in the world understand it, because it is self-evident. There is usually a digital readout that tells which number is up, so you do not need to know what your number sounds like in Chinese.

Go into the bank and take a number. The number tells you when it is your turn. You will sit down and be quiet until your number is displayed on the big, overhead TV screen. When your number comes up, go up to the bank teller and try to pantomime what you need. It usually involves showing how to take things out of invisible boxes.

Take a number. This is your number. It is the number you have taken.

The hospital has the little number-dispensing machine. When it’s time to pay for my doctor visit, I take a number and wait for it to be called and they will also tell me which teller to go to. After I pay my fees, I sometimes have to get some other tests, which also involve taking a number and waiting. Then I need to go to get my prescription for which I check the number on the receipt and get into the line depending on whether the number is odd or even.

You need to take a number at the post office, but only if they are really busy. The post office is as much a bank as a place for mailing correspondence.

Many of the shops in the food court have the number system, so you can tell when your food is ready. The Mos Burger gives you a number, but you can take it to your table and they will bring your food to you. That is nice.

The world would be a better place if only everybody had a number. If you don’t agree with that, then you can take a number and get in line. Thanks for reading and we’ll see you again.