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Here's a (sort of) short one from the other day.
A man and his wife approached my register with a large flat-bed cart filled with furniture, along with another cart filled with bedding accessories.
Considering the furniture they had, I asked them if they would be needing delivery.
The husband had a few questions about our delivery service, and wanted to know generally the whole ins and outs of it.
Now I should mention, the husband spoke with an accent, but nonetheless spoke perfect English.
In fact, our delivery conversation lasted a good few minutes, due to the fact that he had so many questions.
We communicated perfectly - language-wise.
Skip ahead to me ringing through the items.
I started on the large cart of furniture and had made my way through all the items but one.
As many people will know, all Ikea beds require our bed slats. Said slats were under a box.
As I go to move the box to see the barcode, I ask the man what size bed the slats are for.
His exact words, with no hint of irony either in his voice or on his face, were, "I no English."
Thinking he was joking I stopped for a second and held his stare. Nothing.
He repeated, "I no English. Sorry."
When it came time for the transaction to come to a close I asked him for his postal code - a step I usually skip, but followed through with because I was interested to see if he would magically remember his English.
He did.
Not only that, but we had another short exchange of words when it came to directing he and his wife towards the Home Delivery counter - all the while he spoke perfect English, only accented.
I don't know whether he was playing some sort of strange joke or if he was serious or what, but he magically became an non-English speaking foreigner in a matter of seconds.
A man and his wife approached my register with a large flat-bed cart filled with furniture, along with another cart filled with bedding accessories.
Considering the furniture they had, I asked them if they would be needing delivery.
The husband had a few questions about our delivery service, and wanted to know generally the whole ins and outs of it.
Now I should mention, the husband spoke with an accent, but nonetheless spoke perfect English.
In fact, our delivery conversation lasted a good few minutes, due to the fact that he had so many questions.
We communicated perfectly - language-wise.
Skip ahead to me ringing through the items.
I started on the large cart of furniture and had made my way through all the items but one.
As many people will know, all Ikea beds require our bed slats. Said slats were under a box.
As I go to move the box to see the barcode, I ask the man what size bed the slats are for.
His exact words, with no hint of irony either in his voice or on his face, were, "I no English."
Thinking he was joking I stopped for a second and held his stare. Nothing.
He repeated, "I no English. Sorry."
When it came time for the transaction to come to a close I asked him for his postal code - a step I usually skip, but followed through with because I was interested to see if he would magically remember his English.
He did.
Not only that, but we had another short exchange of words when it came to directing he and his wife towards the Home Delivery counter - all the while he spoke perfect English, only accented.
I don't know whether he was playing some sort of strange joke or if he was serious or what, but he magically became an non-English speaking foreigner in a matter of seconds.
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