Germans being pleasant...

...because twice this week I've been out shopping and been served by germans who were friendly and helpful. :shock:

I'm not sure whether to be pleased or worried...

Maybe it was a Halloween thing? You know, trying to act scary?

Whats happening?

I go up to the coffee stall at Hauptbahof:

Counter girl smiles and asks "Hello. what would you like"
Me- a Cappuchino please
Her- Good choice sir! Would you like a danish pastry as well?
Me- Um- OK- Ill have an apple one.
Her- The nut ones are also very nice. Would you like one of those as well?
Me- No thanks.
Her- I tell you what. You can have it for half price.
Me- Oh- OK then.
Her- Would you like to join our coffee club. Every 7 coffee is free?
Me- - Er Ok then.
Her- Thats 3.80
Me- heres 4. Keep the change.
Her- Thankyou but we dont accept tips!
I leave.

OK whats going on? Pleasant, positive, helpful. Is this the Germany we know and love (to moan about)?

Was she German though ?

She was possible from a little more east. Maybe one of our new EU cousins...

I went into a bookshop the other day where I'm a known customer and picked up 3 book (well 2 were really just comics) in 5 miutes totallying €45. After handing over the books at the Kasse (2 were in English) I asked the salesperson nicely, in German, if they could get me the third in the original English - it was so obviously translated.

"Well after all the effort to get books translated into German, the customers aren't grateful". Huff, puff, grumble!

So the service in there has obviously gone in the other direction!

Obviously the owner of the bookstore spends his evenings translating books into German. No wonder he's unhappy

Now, now. Let's keep this one about nice Germans.

Why, just the other day on the tram an older man came in and two older people jumped up to give their seat. After a bit of discussion as to who was getting off soon and after a few "no, you take it"s the older man sat down. Then everyone preceded to talk about how nice things were and how nice everyone was on the tram in Munich and everyone was beaming. As people looked around one lady caught my eye and we both gave each other a proud, puffed up chest saying to each other in so many silent words, "I am proud to be a nice German in this fine city and I am glad to have you people riding along with me." It was a magical moment, really.

Then, schwartzfahrer that I was at the time, I tucked my Ami tail between my legs and ran off the tram.

profundo,

*sigh*

i must confess to wet tears running down my cheeks, to think that such magic can happen on a tram, and i such cynic, so long captivated by my ignorance of their strange foriegn ways!

joy

i do believe i will now float out of the office

Considering you wrote that message after 8pm, I would have thought you would RUN out of the office.

Well just the other day, I was locking up my bike at MF and was abruptly told by a
German man to "HURRY UP" (so he could lock his bike next to mine). I told him in
my best English, "to go fcuk himself" and his ever-so-poorly constructed reply
was "wait until you have a baby, then you will realize how important space is."

Huh??? Kids? Bike lock? No correlation!!! Ha ha!!

Another magical moment indeed!!!

Old dude on a bike - woman in front of him just now rode through a red light (that's a pedestrian red light - gasp!) and as she continued he hurled tonnes of abuse at her - "You fucking whore!" is just a sample of his invective. I proceeded to walk through the same red light and as he drew along side me about a minute later he shouted "Arsehole!" at me!!! I was right outside of my office, in my suit and so didn't push him off his bike and kick him to death (as I should have done), but just shouted a choice piece of Anglo Saxon at him as he rode off...

showem

if it wasn't for us foreigners working late just think how bad the economy would be then???

anyway as people say

never send a german to do an ausländers job

ie i wanted to get the design looking ok and all of em buggered off home

Maybe the Germans left earlier cause they did it right the first time?

Just teasing...

further reading of this thread


must conclude that as having also been present at the my sons births
i also now realise the problem of tight spaces... do you think he was thinking along the same lines???

showem

unfortunatly they left because they THOUGHT they got it right the first time...

He should respect your suit, Jimbo. btw
This past Saturday as I was heading through Karlsplatz (a place known by the locals for tourists) I heard incessant bell ringing which I knew to be a local ringing at tourist pedestrians in the bike path. I turn to look as I see this old man on a bike proceed to drive between two young girls who are talking together as they walk and he hits them both on the elbows as he slams through between them. He then gets 20 ft ahead turns back and grumbles loudly and keeps going.

I yelled at the guy who thankfully was not within arms reach of me (because I may have drug him off his bike and make him say "entshuldigung" and give his insurance info or something) and talked to the girls for a sec who were very american and had no clue as to the bike paths. They were holding their elbows in pain but were ok.

I mean, what Germans have the audacity to correct others who are in the wrong (who could be unknowledgeable tourists) by forcing their correct-ness on them? This might be just one guy, but I sense this as a general rule.

He should have respected my suit - quite right mate. Had quite an action packed lunch actually today - a truck was trying to back up to my office, missed and hit a smallish tree, broke the tree in half (about 12ft tall tree I would guess). The police were called (God knows who called 'em - probably the old git on a bike). Two vans, all of 'em packed with cozzers turn up to sort out the problem. Does it really take 8 armed men to say 'Oh, you've knocked a tree down, you'll have to pay - goodbye'. I think not, but in Germany, just maybe...

Profundo was doing well here...

So of us are actually nice ppl, very friendly, provide great hospitality and very helpful... At least in the countryside...

@ gideon ... lmao!

"that mountain bike is def. not coming out of me ... !!!"

No no no Jimbo my boy, you've missed the point. There was no need for 8 armed men, you are spot on, but the Bavarian police are such a nice, peaceful, friendly bunch, that the majority of those 8 were very probably there on their free time, just to check on the poor tree.

maybe germans take their trees very seriously??

Actually that is true...
Germans take their trees very serious. Sometimes you are not allowed to build a house somewhere where old trees are unless u make sure these trees can be dug out out and deported without causing damage.
Nature and environment is very important for Germans, Bund Naturschutz und Green peace.

You are so nice, bubblylady. I love you. I take back every bad thing I ever said. I love all Germans.
I am going into the street right now to give out some hugs.

not before u tell the rest of us. Give us de DURT!

i meant it ironicly

In fairness to the Brits, we take pretty good care of our special trees too - to the point where you can apply to Court and have a Tree Protection Order issued. Not sure if the tree will get an armed guard though.

This tree was just a common or garden tree though - thousands just like it all over Europe - one less won't hurt.

thats treesist

It's a little extreme deporting the poor trees just because they were in the way of a house !
Where do they get deported to ? Tasmania

No D R, they just though there was a chance of a free Leberkäs Semmel!

So what's the ratio then? 1 little green man per 18 inches? Does that mean that if I trample a sapling it's okay not to call them out as long as it hasn't got to 1'6" yet?