It is a prize that does not exist. Alfred Nobel himself would not have thought of it. It has nothing to do with dynamite, his deadly invention that is still used to dig tunnels, open roads, and blast rocks.
But if this prize existed, we would win it hands down and in perpetuity. In any case, we are at the back of the pack, except in pétanque, gastronomy, and music competitions.
We love to queue, or rather, to make people queue. It is obvious that users do not do it of their own free will. It is done reluctantly, but everyone gets used to it and resigns themselves to their fate, as if we were condemned to endure this torture.
At the end of the month, ATMs are stormed. Everywhere, queues stretch for a hundred meters. Everyone waits for their turn, stoically, praying that there will be enough bills left when they reach the machine. On weekends, many have the bad luck of returning empty-handed after touring the city. Either the machine is not stocked, or it is broken.
Inside the bank, you also have to arm yourself with patience and keep calm. At the entrance, you take a number and wait to be called. The fact is that this number is not very useful for those who come to make a withdrawal. Those making a deposit are prioritized, even if they arrived two hours later. Since there is only one counter, you risk spending the whole day there. Opening a second counter reserved for deposits should not cost a bank an arm and a leg.
At Jirama, it is worse. Everyone rushes to pay their bill, even though water and electricity only work in alternating current. In some places, water has become an extinct species, but the meter rental and water fees must be paid. And since payment deadlines all fall on the same date, a monstrous queue forms in the agencies. A step backward, since previously, deadlines were spread over several days precisely to avoid long queues.
At bus stops, the queue does not choose its time. It is there permanently, keeping company with the poor passengers. In the morning and evening, users are subject to the whims of the transporters. Here too, one must admire their courage and patience. They have no choice, anyway. The main thing is to be able to get home, whatever the conditions.
We also queue to buy a ticket for a big show. Habits are changing with online sales, but we still queue, virtually. In supermarkets, the queue is omnipresent at all checkouts, especially during holidays like Easter or Christmas. And if you only buy one item, it is better to put it back on the shelf and come back at Trinity.
But the longest queue is, without a doubt, around the public water fountains. Except that here, it is the yellow jerrycans that are lined up, waiting for the hypothetical return of water. In some restaurants, you also queue for lack of space. The pressing gazes of the waiting customers invite the luckier ones, already seated, to leave. An embarrassing situation, but when your eyes are bigger than your stomach, you cannot help it.
Captured & Published at: 2026-10-07 05:39:00 (Madagascar Local Time EAT)
Original Source: https://www.lexpress.mg/2026/10/nobel-de-la-queue.html