Go look it up!

Today marked an interesting development in the struggle against the "who cares if it's right, as long as you understand what was meant" school of language expression (as previously discussed here and other places). While processing a package to be sent via UPS, and after struggling to understand the chicken-scratch handwriting of the client on the work order, I called to clarify the address:

Me: Hi, this is [AlexPGP] from [the store]. You dropped off a package for us to send for you earlier today.

Customer: Yes?

Me: I'm calling to clarify the address the package is going to; I'm having a bit of difficulty making out the name of the recipient's street.

Customer (annoyed): Well, couldn't you look it up on the Internet, or something?

Me (biting my tongue): I wanted to make sure I got the correct address, so your package isn't delayed...

That, and to avoid getting charged an "address correction" fee by UPS once they realize the address is wrong.

I eventually got the actual address. However, what really burned me was the customer's underlying message, which appeared to be "Why are you harrassing me to provide you with a legible address? Go look it up!" It would appear to be the logical extension of the idea that clarity when expressing oneself is not all that important if the listener can figure out what it is you're trying to say.

"Am I not clear? Then please apply your college education and do some simple research to see if you can resolve the ambiguity before calling me!"

Ye gods.

Cheers...