das Fruchtgeschäft - the fruit shop
ah, youth. if ever i am feeling down and cranky i now know where to go. one trip to the fruit stand and i will be cured of all grouchiness.
i had been shopping the "american" way, going to one store for everything, but today i decided to check out what the specialty store offers. little did i know what it had in store (ha) for me.
it's a cheery little place around the corner from the house. in the cold clear dusk of 4:30pm, its lights shone warm and yellow. the trim around them is a lively orange. and even on a day like this (-7 degrees at best) an array of fruit and vegetable choices from around the world are displayed just outside the front door and in the windows.
as i walk in a man calls "guten tag" from the floor behind the counter. the interior is as sunny as the outside, if a little (a lot) cramped. i am overwhelmed by the selections and the bodiless voice greeting me. i freeze, because, a) i am literally freezing, b) i clam up when i know i will have to speak german to get what i want, and c) i can't make decisions in a timely fashion at home, in english, so why would i be able to make a speedy choice here?
suddenly a head pops up from behind the counter. then a basket of potatoes. he is a mediterranean man, and he apparently has just had an accident with his inventory. potatoes wobble around on the floor and he laughs and tells me what i presume is the story of his fallen potatoes. in german. i understand one word, "kartoffel", potato. i laugh too and try to play like i have understood him and isn't it too bad he can't get a handle on his potatoes.
he stands upright, throws the last potato on the floor and says, "english." he shoots me a disgusted look, which surprises me. i have heard the rumors that berlin is a terribly rude place, but i had yet to experience it. i was trying to understand! at least, i had the intention to start trying when we got around to my issues. he stares me down as he yells "english!" to the back room.
i am terrified. what exasperated person is being torn from his normal duties just to speak english to me? i shrink. "way to go, self," i think to myself, "now you have two fruit guys mad at you and you still don't know what kind of stupid fruit you want!" i turn to run. it's not too late. maybe if i get a new hat when i walk past here again they won't recognize me.
"yo, yo! let's speak some english!" i hear come from the back room. a young man, 18-22, with an 18-22 year old's energy, comes bursting through the doorway. he looks at me and smiles the kind of infectious smile that 18-22 year olds have. "so you need fruit and you need english. i am here to help you!"
"oh... thank you," i say quietly. the store is filling with people - two more to be exact - and i am now turning bright red. the older man and another customer laugh and squeeze around me to get the customer's produce. my mind has gone completely blank and i no longer remember the english words for my order. but the young man won't stop smiling, or talking, loudly.
"where you are from?" he asks, as i point to a bunch of grapes. i say "colorado". i don't know why i don't say where i have actually come here from. apparently, at the moment, i feel like i'm from colorado. "colorado? haribo!" he shouts. this is again funny to everyone in the store. i now know that there is a type of gummi candy made by haribo called "colorado". i have no idea what it tastes like.
after more questions and answers i am starting to feel more comfortable. the young man even seems a bit like he's flirting, but i get the impression he speaks like this to everyone. he winks. the older man rolls his eyes. after i pay - an ungodly amount for grapes even if it is winter - he wishes me a happy holiday.
"happy holiday?" i ask, more to myself than to him. is there some kind of german holiday in the end of january? then i realize he is wishing me to have a pleasant vacation. "oh!" i say, "no, i'm not on holiday. i actually live here now."
he smiles and gives me a knowing look. "ah, you are using me." he says.
"no! well, uh, yeah, i guess. i know i need to learn german." i say sheepishly. he tells me, "yes, you do need to learn german", but he says it in german - and i understand him!
as i leave he says, "auf wiederzehn. now when you come back next week i will quiz you on german." and i believe him.
i think i'll be buying a lot of expensive fruit for a while.
i had been shopping the "american" way, going to one store for everything, but today i decided to check out what the specialty store offers. little did i know what it had in store (ha) for me.
it's a cheery little place around the corner from the house. in the cold clear dusk of 4:30pm, its lights shone warm and yellow. the trim around them is a lively orange. and even on a day like this (-7 degrees at best) an array of fruit and vegetable choices from around the world are displayed just outside the front door and in the windows.
as i walk in a man calls "guten tag" from the floor behind the counter. the interior is as sunny as the outside, if a little (a lot) cramped. i am overwhelmed by the selections and the bodiless voice greeting me. i freeze, because, a) i am literally freezing, b) i clam up when i know i will have to speak german to get what i want, and c) i can't make decisions in a timely fashion at home, in english, so why would i be able to make a speedy choice here?
suddenly a head pops up from behind the counter. then a basket of potatoes. he is a mediterranean man, and he apparently has just had an accident with his inventory. potatoes wobble around on the floor and he laughs and tells me what i presume is the story of his fallen potatoes. in german. i understand one word, "kartoffel", potato. i laugh too and try to play like i have understood him and isn't it too bad he can't get a handle on his potatoes.
he stands upright, throws the last potato on the floor and says, "english." he shoots me a disgusted look, which surprises me. i have heard the rumors that berlin is a terribly rude place, but i had yet to experience it. i was trying to understand! at least, i had the intention to start trying when we got around to my issues. he stares me down as he yells "english!" to the back room.
i am terrified. what exasperated person is being torn from his normal duties just to speak english to me? i shrink. "way to go, self," i think to myself, "now you have two fruit guys mad at you and you still don't know what kind of stupid fruit you want!" i turn to run. it's not too late. maybe if i get a new hat when i walk past here again they won't recognize me.
"yo, yo! let's speak some english!" i hear come from the back room. a young man, 18-22, with an 18-22 year old's energy, comes bursting through the doorway. he looks at me and smiles the kind of infectious smile that 18-22 year olds have. "so you need fruit and you need english. i am here to help you!"
"oh... thank you," i say quietly. the store is filling with people - two more to be exact - and i am now turning bright red. the older man and another customer laugh and squeeze around me to get the customer's produce. my mind has gone completely blank and i no longer remember the english words for my order. but the young man won't stop smiling, or talking, loudly.
"where you are from?" he asks, as i point to a bunch of grapes. i say "colorado". i don't know why i don't say where i have actually come here from. apparently, at the moment, i feel like i'm from colorado. "colorado? haribo!" he shouts. this is again funny to everyone in the store. i now know that there is a type of gummi candy made by haribo called "colorado". i have no idea what it tastes like.
after more questions and answers i am starting to feel more comfortable. the young man even seems a bit like he's flirting, but i get the impression he speaks like this to everyone. he winks. the older man rolls his eyes. after i pay - an ungodly amount for grapes even if it is winter - he wishes me a happy holiday.
"happy holiday?" i ask, more to myself than to him. is there some kind of german holiday in the end of january? then i realize he is wishing me to have a pleasant vacation. "oh!" i say, "no, i'm not on holiday. i actually live here now."
he smiles and gives me a knowing look. "ah, you are using me." he says.
"no! well, uh, yeah, i guess. i know i need to learn german." i say sheepishly. he tells me, "yes, you do need to learn german", but he says it in german - and i understand him!
as i leave he says, "auf wiederzehn. now when you come back next week i will quiz you on german." and i believe him.
i think i'll be buying a lot of expensive fruit for a while.
posted by jordan at
5:46 PM
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