Thursday, December 22, 2011

Maybe I should not chit-chat at the sales counters in India?

Blog readers--yes, I am talking to you--know well about my penchant for conversations with the personnel at checkout counters, back in the US.  Continuing with that personality might not do me good here in India!

The Depression-era mentality of my parents, though they are not that old to have been brought up during those dreadful years, means that there is a whole lot of old stuff being used at home.  Maybe keeping useless things is also how they tolerate me, eh!  And, those not being used are tucked away in lofts, boxes, nooks, and crannies.

Today's battle was over the old cordless phone that is quite a pain to use.  It should have been tossed into the bin (not on the street) oh, a couple of years ago.  After a few years, I finally won that battle, with my sister providing additional ammo :)

So, off we went to the electronics superstore, Croma.  It felt like India's version of the Best Buy kind of American stores.

My sister picked up a Panasonic model, as the sales woman approached us.

"Hey, any deals today?  Buy this and get 5,000 rupees off, or something?" I asked the sales person. 

She looked at me as if I had stepped off an alien aircraft. Perhaps I am an alien in India now, as much as I was one in the US until naturalization.

The sales person shifted her attention back to my sister.  I backed away.

As we exited, I had to stop to pick up the bag that I had left at the counter.  I told the security guard that there was no deal, and I needed my bag back.  He couldn't care any less.

As we exited the store, I thought that either the culture is different, or my delivery is accented, or both.  In any case, maybe I should simply shut up :(

It is a tough audience here :)

1 comment:

Ramesh said...

Oh no - you should chit chat. The problem must be your accent - the poor girl probably didn't even understand what you said. Nobody would understand a "deal". Shop guys are very chatty if they can relate to you. After all we are the "Talkative Indians" !

Try your best Neyveli Tamil and all will be well :):)