Pet Peeves

1. One day, in the bank, I heard a woman squealing when a bank representative finally approached her. It turned out to be that she wasn’t able to withdraw money from the bank’s ATM machine. The machine manufactured a receipt that indicates it’s a hot account. Her tantrum went almost like this:

“What this mean? It say hot. What hot-hot-hot, very hot? You know it’s the first time that happen to me. I come from Australia, I come in and out of the Philippines and this not happen to me. I am from Cavite

And her words trailed off while I was exiting the bank. I was mumbling to myself that the woman in her boots and ‘Australian’ get-up must have forgotten that she is already in Pinas. It could have been easier for her and for those who listen to her if she talked in the native language. She is not in Australia anymore.

2. While paying for my credit card bills, I told the cashier in the Bills section at SM to give the change to the other bill that lacks a few peso. She then later asked me, “Pero lahat na po ito? (All of this?),” handing the other bill that lacks a few peso. Of course I said yes. Then she punched the entire amount of the first bill leaving no change for the other bill. Wonder if I’d given the instruction wrong or she’s plain stupid.

3. At the food court, there is an area where animal (artificial) rides roam. One inserts tokens and then the rider can maneuver the ‘animal’ with its steering wheel. I walked in between two ‘animals’ calculating that the area is enough for me to trod. Suddenly one of the ‘animals’ turned left, the rider seemingly confused what is left or right, hitting me on a leg. Another ‘animal’ rider made it run straight to me, hitting me on my other leg, almost simultaneous with the one that hit me first. The simpletons couldn’t even utter their apologies. And they even have the nerve to register anger on their faces.

4. Before going home, we went to Watson to buy Care diapers for my mother-in-law. Seeing no Care diaper, Papsie decided to ask one of the sales clerk. He received, “May pila. (There is a queue.)” Papsie later told me this when I asked what that sales clerk said. I was indignant and said, “She could have answered you. That is all you need.” After a while, another sales clerk approached the counter. Papsie asked the same question which she gladly answered with a smile. Papsie told the first sales clerk, “O, di ba, tapos na? Yun lang naman ang kelangan ko.(It’s done, isn’t it? That’s all I need.)” The impertinent sales clerk played oblivious.