Gringoboy
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- Sep 18, 2009
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Decided to go to work by train (as opposed to m/bike) today due to the rain.
Went to the ticket booth at Delta (Tigre) to get a ticket, where the fellow in the kiosk decided to completely ignore my presence.
This was odd since there were hardly any other passengers around, and I was the only one buying a ticket.
After what seemed like an eternity (30 seconds), I said 'buen dia, Maipu ida por favor?'
He still didn't look up, but nonchalantly punched in the ticket details and slipped the ticket under the glass and muttered 'ocho pesos'.
I thanked him and paid him the exact money ( a little concerned that having to ask for change may have been a little challenging).
I then asked ( my first mistake) when the next train was leaving. You know, as you do when making human contact.
It then went something like this in Spanish, with him starting:
'What does that say up there?'
'Erm (scanning the time table which I hadn't previously noticed)...13.30.'
'What time is it now?'
'13.20'
'How long till the next train then?'
At this point of course he had really scored a direct hit and I felt a little foolish.
'I would say ten minutes.'
'So why did you ask then?'
This all got me a bit pissed with him and I could feel the hair on the back of my neck tingling a little.And in moments like this, English is the only way:
'I was simply asking a civilised question, so I don't see the need for this attitude'
'I couldn't give a f**k. F**k you!'
I think my jaw dropped onto the floor at this point...................
and the ensuing argument was not pretty, particularly as he ended it by saying that it was his last day at the job, to which I replied that I couldn't give a f**k whether it was his last day on this Earth and walked away.
Whilst walking away, I spotted several Tren de la Costa employees standing around smoking and asked for the manager.
They didn't have one, so I asked for the libro de quejas.
The chap in the ticket booth has that! Effing wonderful!
So I went back and politely asked him for the book, which he thought was highly amusing and I filled it in, whilst he practised his effing and blinding in English.
I handed it back and he told me to sign it, asking if I knew how to.
I kid you not, but I was ready to leap into that effing booth and finish him.
I signed it and pushed it back to him and he asked me why I hadn't put my email address on it.
I declined to answer, so he ripped it all up into little pieces and told me to f**k off, that he didn't give a damn and was sick of us f***ng foreigners coming over here..blah de effing blah.
I walked away and lit a cigarette, wondering whether I had imagined it all.
Read into this what you like, but I have to say that it's the first time I've come across that type of eff you attitude over here before, particularly as most of the Argentines I've met in all walks of life have been nothing but simpatico.
Went to the ticket booth at Delta (Tigre) to get a ticket, where the fellow in the kiosk decided to completely ignore my presence.
This was odd since there were hardly any other passengers around, and I was the only one buying a ticket.
After what seemed like an eternity (30 seconds), I said 'buen dia, Maipu ida por favor?'
He still didn't look up, but nonchalantly punched in the ticket details and slipped the ticket under the glass and muttered 'ocho pesos'.
I thanked him and paid him the exact money ( a little concerned that having to ask for change may have been a little challenging).
I then asked ( my first mistake) when the next train was leaving. You know, as you do when making human contact.
It then went something like this in Spanish, with him starting:
'What does that say up there?'
'Erm (scanning the time table which I hadn't previously noticed)...13.30.'
'What time is it now?'
'13.20'
'How long till the next train then?'
At this point of course he had really scored a direct hit and I felt a little foolish.
'I would say ten minutes.'
'So why did you ask then?'
This all got me a bit pissed with him and I could feel the hair on the back of my neck tingling a little.And in moments like this, English is the only way:
'I was simply asking a civilised question, so I don't see the need for this attitude'
'I couldn't give a f**k. F**k you!'
I think my jaw dropped onto the floor at this point...................
and the ensuing argument was not pretty, particularly as he ended it by saying that it was his last day at the job, to which I replied that I couldn't give a f**k whether it was his last day on this Earth and walked away.
Whilst walking away, I spotted several Tren de la Costa employees standing around smoking and asked for the manager.
They didn't have one, so I asked for the libro de quejas.
The chap in the ticket booth has that! Effing wonderful!
So I went back and politely asked him for the book, which he thought was highly amusing and I filled it in, whilst he practised his effing and blinding in English.
I handed it back and he told me to sign it, asking if I knew how to.
I kid you not, but I was ready to leap into that effing booth and finish him.
I signed it and pushed it back to him and he asked me why I hadn't put my email address on it.
I declined to answer, so he ripped it all up into little pieces and told me to f**k off, that he didn't give a damn and was sick of us f***ng foreigners coming over here..blah de effing blah.
I walked away and lit a cigarette, wondering whether I had imagined it all.
Read into this what you like, but I have to say that it's the first time I've come across that type of eff you attitude over here before, particularly as most of the Argentines I've met in all walks of life have been nothing but simpatico.
