Friday, May 04, 2007

A Valuable Lesson



My uncle Chino had the day off when Frank his friend and former boss called. Frank was short a person and this was the biggest route he had. My uncle offered to help him out. With the exception of a few stores that had been added to the route since he left the job my uncle knew all of the clients and their standing orders. He introduced himself to the new clients and asked that they please double check their orders just in case he missed something. The day went smoothly all the orders had been filled perfectly that is until he hit the last of the new stores.

Chino introduced himself and placed the order in front of the counter. The owner looked at my uncle as if he were gum stuck on the bottom of his shoe. He didn’t bother to double check the order instead he quickly glanced at it, signed off on it and waved my uncle away. My uncle was halfway done stocking the order on the rack when the store owner noticed his order was short by a few pieces. Instead of telling my uncle, the man began talking loudly to the man next to him. He called my uncle a thief, accusing him of purposely shorting him on his order. He even accused my uncle of shtuping his own mother and questioned his paternity and legitimacy. He said all of this in Arabic never thinking my uncle understood him.

At first Chino wasn’t sure he heard right and allowed the man to go on. Finally when he had enough Chino approached the counter, “My man why are you calling me a thief?” The man tried to act as if he had no clue as to what my uncle was talking about. Chino then leaned over the counter grabbed him by the shirt and literally talked into his face and in his flawless Arabic said, “You think I don’t understand what you’re saying? Didn’t I tell you to double check your order and if it was missing anything to let me know and I’d get it out the truck for you? Calling me a thief and cursing at me was totally unnecessary."

All of a sudden the arrogant boisterous store owner was struck mute. My uncle let go of his shirt patted him on his bald head and told him in Arabic, “I’m going to the truck now and get the rest of your order. You have anything else you want to say?” The store owner was shocked. His mouth just hung open as if it were waiting to catch a fly and then just because he knew that the store owner knew a little Spanish Chino winked at him and added in Spanish, “I bet you learned a valuable lesson today didn’t you?”

Labels: a day in the life, life lessons

Posted by @ 9:31 AM
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