Okay, so I know I blog more about the Dodgers than I do about work. But this ... this had to make it into my blog.
This morning, this group came it. It was a lady, her daughter, and her grandchildren (her daughter's kids, duh). Well, the granddaughter was about three and the grandson had to be a newborn. They came in and looked at a dress. The mother talked to her daughter in their language, which happened to be the same as mine. Well, of course I understand everything they're saying. They were talking about the dress. The daughter has the baby and goes a little further into the store. The grand daughter stays with grandma, who isn't really watching her because the grand daughter goes into our window display and comes out on the other end. This is a big no-no because we have nice heavy mannequins that can fall and squish little kids like her. She had to be no older than three. Didn't speak much. Well, of course, I had to go over to the little girl and tell her she couldn't go in our windows. My boss has a fit any time a child goes into our windows. And I always get a talking-to when I don't take care of such situations. Well, figuring the girl was young and probably just spoke the language they speak at home, I thought she would be more comfortable if I used the same language. I told her in a very soft and nice voice to not go into our windows. WELL she apparently got frightened by that because she spend the next five minutes hiding from me. She hid behind her grandma, she hid behind her mom. She even walked out of the store! Her mom told the grandma that they were leaving because the little girl didn't like me. The grandma explained to me that she was afraid of me.
WHAT? I was doing my best to make her comfortable and not be scared of me when I told her not to go in the windows. Maybe I should have spoken to her in English. Would that have been better? I don't know. Most little kids like me. I had one yesterday pat me on the back while I was fixing something. Well, I'm not sure if it was a pat. He just came up behind me and gave me a nice little whack on the back. He had to be under two. Then there's little Daniel who smiles every time he comes in and sees me. And then there's Jonah. See! There's plenty of little kids I know who come to our store and they like me just fine. Hmph.
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3 comments:
Hmmm... that is strange. I always find the dynamics of "which language to speak" interesting, although seeing as how I am only fluent in English, this usually is not a problem that I face. I think often people forget that just because they are speaking another language doesn't mean that they are having a "private" conversation. Maybe that is why the little girl freaked out, she hadn't gotten used to that idea yet.
Hmmm very interesting....language seems to be such a big thing these days.
For example the nail places (you all know the ones I'm talking about), where as soon as someone walks into the salon they start talking in "their" language. I find that very offensive and rude if you ask me. I know quite well that they know how to speak english!
yup. we have several employees at our store who speak the same language and they'll start conversing in it with each other. it bugs Sherisse and me because how do we know they're not talking about us in their language in front of us?
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