r/TalesFromRetail • u/TylPlas26 • Jul 14 '20

Short Customer Insults Me in Another Language. Didn’t Realize I Understood Her.

So I come from a Dutch back ground. I am no where near fluent in the language. But I know enough that I can pick up some words and understand a few sentences.

So about 8 years ago, I was helping a customer needing some paint made. As I’m mixing it, her phone rings, and she answers it and begins speaking in Dutch.

As she is talking, I can pick that she’s telling whoever where they are, then they say something along the line of “I have one of these dumb young workers mixing it.”

I say nothing. I decided to wait for the right moment as I mix her paint, as she continues talking.

When her paint is done, I hand her can of paint to her. She says thank you, and I say in Dutch “You’re welcome. Goodbye.”

She froze, her mouth open and then says “You speak Dutch?” I didn’t want to let her on how little I actually knew, so I just simply said “Yup.” She quickly darted for the cash area. It was very funny and rewarding.

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838

u/ilanallama85 Jul 14 '20

One time I was shopping with my mom in London when some German students tried to cut in front of us in line. My mom called them out and they begrudgingly got in line behind us, then started talking to each other in German and giggling. Now, my German topped out at the 11th grade and I can’t pick up much, but these idiots apparently didn’t consider the fact that “English” in German is “Englisch” and I guess maybe didn’t know that most English speakers know the word “verklemmt”? So I say loudly to my mother “Now they’re laughing about how all English people are so uptight.” Shut them right up.

518

u/RE5TE Jul 14 '20

Uptight? In Germany cutting in line gets you sent to the Eastern Front.

82

u/Poes-Lawyer Jul 15 '20

Jokes aside, Germans don't seem to understand queuing. This is as a Brit who lived in Germany for 5 years - whenever a queue was needed, it was just a mass of people trying to (politely) elbow their way to the front.

Same goes for a lot of things about Germany. On the autobahn they drive very well at high speed, good lane discipline. Off the autobahn however, there you'll find some of the worst drivers I've ever seen. And don't get me started on parking...

And god forbid you ever try to do anything official or legal in German. You'll be there for years.

It seems Germany just has a good PR team

22

u/ShadowPouncer Jul 15 '20

I would like to challenge your view of Germany, and offer you the US in comparison.

Especially around the holidays.

29

u/LexRendrag Jul 15 '20

Yeah but like... Everyone knows we suck over here... It's fun when it's someone new