bitte,sprechen sie deutsch?
So I just have to share this hillarious story from work.
For a long while, I have been under the impression that a particular client from work (an elderly gentleman of about 70)had at one time served in the military and was stationed in Germany. This I believe I heard from him own lips. Because I so recently have come back from there, I shared that with him. He as well told me that he spoke German, remembering it from long ago because he was there so long.
Well, me, thinking that it would be cute to reach out this this man (he is quite a lonely little chap I think...a lot of time on his hands and not much to do) every time he would come in to see us, I always practiced my deutsch on him...nothing complicated, just a "Guten Tag Herr..." or "Wie geht es ihnen Herr..." (now, as I look back on this fact, I am suddenly remember that he never actually ever spoke back to me in German.. but this was something I didn't think of until today)
Well, about a week and a half ago, I had to send a document out to this particular gentleman in the mail, and so I thought it would be cute to write him out a little not in German as well...and when I mean simple and little, I really mean it. Here is what I wrote: "Sie haben eine gute tag!" (You have a good day!)
Well... lo and behold, a couple days later, I receive that same letter back in the mail, with this note scrawled on the bottom:
"Dear Rachel, thank you so much for the SPANISH annotation above, but the only trouble is I don't speak spanish? (yes, question mark included) The only response I can make is "likewise". Please send me the interpretation. Thanks, With Respect, ----
Okay, so you can imagine at this point that I am cracking up a whole lot...Spanish?? hahaha...
So what did i do you might ask? Well, I wrote on the bottom of this same letter:
"Hello Mr.---- Haben sie eine gute tag means "have a good day" in GERMAN. :)
At this point, I was thinking...oh, poor dear slightly senial (sp?) eldery man... that is that.
SO.. definitely was not expecting when the post man came in to deliver mail at the office to find my VERY SAME LETTER in my VERY SAME ENVELOPE (yes, very very same..he didn't even send a new envelope wiht stamp.. he just scrawled on the outside of the envelope:Return to Sender - with an arrow.. HAHA... what a cheap way to send mail I am thinking right about now! Geeze... I have to remember that trick...)
Inside the envelope, on my SAME origional letter, newly written was this message: "Rachel, I don't speak nor understand anything in German...WANT TO TEACH ME?"
LOL... well folks, that did it for me, I spent a good five minutes tears nearly running down my face laughing until it nearly hurt... the little sneaker! Who says guys lose it when they get older?? He sure hasn't obviously!
Now off to enjoy the rest of this beautiful day.... ;)
For a long while, I have been under the impression that a particular client from work (an elderly gentleman of about 70)had at one time served in the military and was stationed in Germany. This I believe I heard from him own lips. Because I so recently have come back from there, I shared that with him. He as well told me that he spoke German, remembering it from long ago because he was there so long.
Well, me, thinking that it would be cute to reach out this this man (he is quite a lonely little chap I think...a lot of time on his hands and not much to do) every time he would come in to see us, I always practiced my deutsch on him...nothing complicated, just a "Guten Tag Herr..." or "Wie geht es ihnen Herr..." (now, as I look back on this fact, I am suddenly remember that he never actually ever spoke back to me in German.. but this was something I didn't think of until today)
Well, about a week and a half ago, I had to send a document out to this particular gentleman in the mail, and so I thought it would be cute to write him out a little not in German as well...and when I mean simple and little, I really mean it. Here is what I wrote: "Sie haben eine gute tag!" (You have a good day!)
Well... lo and behold, a couple days later, I receive that same letter back in the mail, with this note scrawled on the bottom:
"Dear Rachel, thank you so much for the SPANISH annotation above, but the only trouble is I don't speak spanish? (yes, question mark included) The only response I can make is "likewise". Please send me the interpretation. Thanks, With Respect, ----
Okay, so you can imagine at this point that I am cracking up a whole lot...Spanish?? hahaha...
So what did i do you might ask? Well, I wrote on the bottom of this same letter:
"Hello Mr.---- Haben sie eine gute tag means "have a good day" in GERMAN. :)
At this point, I was thinking...oh, poor dear slightly senial (sp?) eldery man... that is that.
SO.. definitely was not expecting when the post man came in to deliver mail at the office to find my VERY SAME LETTER in my VERY SAME ENVELOPE (yes, very very same..he didn't even send a new envelope wiht stamp.. he just scrawled on the outside of the envelope:Return to Sender - with an arrow.. HAHA... what a cheap way to send mail I am thinking right about now! Geeze... I have to remember that trick...)
Inside the envelope, on my SAME origional letter, newly written was this message: "Rachel, I don't speak nor understand anything in German...WANT TO TEACH ME?"
LOL... well folks, that did it for me, I spent a good five minutes tears nearly running down my face laughing until it nearly hurt... the little sneaker! Who says guys lose it when they get older?? He sure hasn't obviously!
Now off to enjoy the rest of this beautiful day.... ;)