Does this happen to anyone else? I go to the convenient store (usually 7-11), and when I am paying for my goods (usually a slurpee) the checker tries to make small talk with me and most the time its someone ethnic (usually an Arabic or whatever). OKAY...nine times out of ten I cannot understand a WORD they are saying! And I usually just sort of improvise and laugh a little and nod my head in agree-ance with whatever they say. (Bad move but I wont go into how that could lead to destruction quickly..."you be my wife?"...."uh huh"...)
This is how the conversation went down this morning at 7:45 AM when I get to the checker and pay for my slurpee....
Aladdin: Ello ow are ou?
Me: I'm good thanks.
Aladdin: blahblahchant WORK blahblahchuckle
(all I got out of that was "work")
Me: (shake my head assuming he said something about how its time for work?)
Aladdin: Right?
Me: (sarcastically) yeaaah right.
Aladdin: Come on it is like 30 degrees outside!
(thinking he said something about me buying a slurpee..... I replied)
Me: Well I have kind of a sore throat so this out to help right?
Aladdin: chucklejibberjabber WORK ello i not feel good chucklejibberjabber HOME.
(I try to just laugh and swipe my debit card)
Aladdin: O oki blahblahjibberjabber WORK laughchuckleblahblah.
Me: *chuckle* I do what I gotta do....Have a good day...?
(I dont lie either...I said it as a question).
I got in my car and started it and I could see him talking to the guy that was behind me in line and they pointed at me and laughed and shook their heads...all I could think of was how I probably looked like the biggest jerk.
It's times like that, that I wish I could turn on like closed captioning in my head or something...like sub-titles maybe? But what do I do? Are you supposed to say "look I cant understand you".
My mom is the nicest person ever and makes ethnic people feel like the reason she cant understand them is because they have such a beautiful accent. I dont feel like I could lie, I dont think their accent is beautiful its a challenge and I am frustrated! I'm not racist or discriminating. I just wish I had the ability to understand without going "huh? what was that?" and STILL not being able to understand.
I want subtitles...
Closed Captioning...
Something please.
Anna. i'm totally with you. my problem isn't with ethnic accents. it's with EVERYONE. i like to say that my hearing isn't so good and unless people are clear and enunciate and speak with authority, i can't understand them. it's kind of like the motab choir. unless i know the song they are singing, i have no clue what they are saying. it might as well be in German.
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