There is something about standing in the queues that always humors me. And again, this is one thing I have sort of understood lately, observed lately, and looking back, I can relate it to almost every queue or line or sort of ordered collection or giving out of stuff, be it whatever.
Ok, so let me get to the point first, and then I ll furnish the same with examples to establish what I am saying.
I was in line to pay the electricity bill, and there were quite a few number of people (around 7-8) behind me. I too wasn't the first in line, and hence had time to observe the behavior of people. The first thing which strikes you about everyone is that they get pissed off standing in the line. I mean how-much-ever long the line maybe, they are never happy. Everyone wants to be first. But of course that is hardly possible in a country like India, so well, every Ram, Laxman and Bharat has to stand in line. Each one stands in his/her own way, cross legged, a little out of line, some with their hands on their hips, others with crossed hands. Every person acts or tries to act nonchalant. You know atleast one person in the line is looking at you or just glancing past you. But you act as if you don't care, or you never know you are being watched. And it is here that I came to know that each person becomes aware of the thing he is going to submit. Like for instance with the bill, it here here that every person starts reading it as though it is of great importance and he/she ll never get a second chance to read it or go through it again. The same bill lying at their place for like 10 days never mattered. But here it is the object of utmost importance. You start reading the intricate detail, even the small print you never bothered to even look at. Maybe its just something you do to while away your time while in the queue, but everyone does do it. And its not just here. Even when like submitting your answer sheet, you have that little instinct in you to just read a bit before actually handing it over to the invigilator. Or in a bank or in the students section in college, while giving up the form, you feel like taking a last glance, as if bidding your last adieu. Is it the disappointment of the parting, one can never say, but this is a really interesting habit I came across in people!!!
Another habit I came across in people is trying to take a look at what the person next in line is doing. Or what all he/she has filled in her form. Here, the peeping person will try to adopt different techniques, like acting as if he is looking in his paper/form, but actually trying to view the form of the other person through the corner of his eye. Maybe moving a little outside the line, so that he/she gets a better view. And then, you judge the person on how that person has filled the form. Or maybe, help yourself to some praise. Like in a bill line, if the other person has an extravagant bill, you comment yourself saying, " Wow! I saved so much considering this persons bill!" Or in a school admission line, one might say, "Hehe! I got more than him surely in the last semester."
Such are the different facets one gets to observe just standing in the line for 20mins. Its no wonder, human psychology is such a sought after study area. After all, it has so much scope, as you come across it almost at every corner and turn. One thing is sure though, that while standing in a line the next time, instead of acting like you are reading your paper/form, you can adopt this new habit of trying to decipher the techniques adopted by other people to act cool..!! Maybe, you can come up with more such nuances seen in the human behavior!!!

Santa : Kyu khade ho idhar? Yaha to kitni lambi katar hai!
I said, "Kyu ki ye queue hai..!!! Yahi to logon ke behavior ke P, Q, R, S dekhne milte hai!!"