My first week here in my apartment, I had no pots or pans in my kitchen. My first night here a woman came by the door and brought me some essentials, two coffee makers, an espresso cup, a large spoon, a tiny espresso spoon and two strainers for pasta. What else could I need right? Oh, you have to cook the pasta before straining it? I guess I needed more things after all. She spoke only Italian and continued to do so even though I kept saying, "io non capisco" or "I don't understand". The only thing I did understand that she kept saying was, "domani" or "tomorrow", so of course I thought she was bringing more pots tomorrow. The hand gestures indicated that as well. So my first day, I was happy going out for pizza and didn't worry about it. More things would arrivo domani. About a week later, still no pots. My Italian speaking secretary helped by calling and they said they would be there "domani". Of course! They didn't say, which tomorrow after all. Well, Thursday night, a full week after I arrived the pots and pans did too.
Pleased that I could now cook, I headed to the grocery store for some serious shopping. I have been multiple times, you have to go often as my 3'x2' refrigerator doesn't hold much. It is smaller than my kegerator I used to have! So unlike previous visits, this time I needed a shopping cart. I was in the store, looking around while I started gathering things to buy and there were none to be found. However, I saw people with them. What gives? Of course, my Italian was not good enough yet to ask anyone where they got them so I looked on my own. Putting my PhD to work I thought, hmmm, these people are near the only entrance to the food section and they have carts, they must be outside! I hadn't noticed when I came in. So I found a way back out of the store which wasn't easy. There were basically two lines, full of people checking out and there was very little space to walk by them. I managed to by saying "scusami" or "excuse me" every few feet while I got out. It was a bit weird leaving without buying but I needed a cart. They would understand once they saw me with a cart anyway I thought. No big deal.
As I finally got past the check-stand, I saw a cart sitting unattended by the front door! I quickly grabbed it, went back into the store, put all the things I had gathered and continued on shopping. I was so pleased. Pleased at all the interesting goods I was finding at great prices too! I was looking forward to eating this good food when out of the blue, about 10 minutes after I got the cart, a woman came rushing toward me SCREAMING at me! Of course, I had no idea what she was saying but she was very angry I could tell that for certain! She kept going on and on and I kept saying, "sorry, I do not understand" which you would think would be a useful phrase. NOT! It didn't slow her down. Seemed to crank her up actually! I though I knew what I said but maybe not? Was I saying it wrong? I started to doubt my self as she turned red in the face. So clearly she wanted the cart and whom was I to stand in her way? So I started taking my items out and backing away from the cart slowly but the screaming continued. What now, I wanted to say! She grabbed my arm and she started pointing at this little device on the cart handle. I had seen it there before but thought nothing of it. She kept pointing at it and screaming. Finally, I noticed there was money in it so it dawned on me, she had paid for this cart and I had taken it. What an a-hole I am! So I kept apologizing, she kept screaming but eventually said, "preggo" and smiled meaning "you are welcome" so I guess she accepted my 100 apologies.
I do not think she had any clue that I really did not mean to steal her cart. That I really did not understand! Stupido Americano! I won't be doing that again, lesson learned.
Of course, after everyone had seen that scene, I was way too embarrassed to shop there. So I struggled past the lines of people again (this time, a gauntlet of shame) and went down the street to the next grocery store (they are about every 1/2 block in my area), walked right up to the stand and paid for a cart like I owned that place. HA I thought!
I did my shopping and it was uneventful. As I put the cart away, I grabbed the little buckle that had come unattached from another cart when I put my money in it and I pushed that in the cart in front of it and my money came back out! So now I know, it is just a deposit on the cart so you won't steal them. But if you really want a cart, they are only 2 euros, not bad. I bet I can get more than that for them on the black market. And to think I was nearly killed over 2 euros.
I bet she is still talking about me...
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| The cause of my pain... |
