Friday just as I was closing up shop I got a call.
I love knowing it's my last call for a couple of days.
The woman on the other end said, "Do you have anyone there who speaks Spanish"
I assumed it wasn't she who needed this because this woman spoke very good English, with an accent, but very good English.
I said, " No one here is fluent, we only know a few phrases I'm sorry. But we do understand more than we speak"
She said, "Well I will try to explain what I need."
But before she started she had to yell at me first by sternly and clearly saying, "You know there are a lot of spanish speaking people in this country, you should try to learn spanish."
I said nothing. I know what I wanted to say, but said nothing.
What would you have liked to say?
13 comments:
That's the problem with having your own business. You can't say what's on your mind at the time. You could reply with 'I know Italian, French, German, and Russian'.
You could state politely, Ma'am, I live in the United States, where English is the recognized language.
Mike - Oh I know some choice words in Italian. I should have used them.
Ms. A - Oh if I had spoken at all it would have been this thought only said much worse.
My burning question is why did she need a Spanish speaking person when she spoke English??? Did she ask you what she need?
Crazy!
April, she was a hispanic lady who spoke english poorly.
I should have said, lady, don't tell me what I should or should not do Fuck off and tell me what the hell it is that you want. Sorry that's a typical New York attitude which is rather the norm.
PorkStar - having worked in Manhattan for 10 years I never saw that attitude. At least not wide spread - the one you speak of often.
As for responding like that - I wanted to tell her to fuck off but since i also want her money and i'm self employed I had to suck it up. Will she get any freebies? doubtful. Will I bend over backwards for her? doubtful.
So since I can't say what I want to these assholes I just vent on my blog. :-)
If she were in Germany, would she be bitching about businesses there not having a Spanish - German translator on staff? Doubt it.
And adding to what Mrs. A said - not only is English the recognized language around here, it is the OFFICIAL language of this country. Fluency in English ought to be a condition of citizenship - legal or otherwise.
You no speaka the English, sayonnara!
Brian, agreed. I so wanted to say all of that. Great points!
And your last line sounds like my Grandmother with the exception of sayonnara. More like arrivederci!
"You are in the United States. We speak English. Deal with it." (in my dreams)
Bill - thank you! my dreams too.
I was being bilingual. :)
Brian, that's a hoot!!
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