It's Such a -small- Thing, Really...
This is a very personal rant against all customers who ask a very simple question.
"Where are you from?"
It's not rant-able the first time. It's completely valid. I have an accent, or it sounds like I have an accent. However, instead of asking me about it, most customers will ask me this. My standard answer is,
"If you're referring to my accent, it's actually a speech impediment from when I was little."
The complete truth. I grew up here in New England since I was two years old. I don't have any accent different from yours. I don't wish to tell you my birth city, or my hometown (I don't really have one for starters). My voice is due to the fact that I couldn't pronounce a whole host of basic sounds until I went through speech therapy. R's, S's, and occasionally C's still trip me up. I cannot pronounce an R to save my life.
Here's where the annoyance starts to come in. The customer falters. This is not the answer they expect. It's the truth. And oh no! A speech impediment! How horrible!
"I'm so sorry. I didn't mean to..."
I just shake my head, plaster a smile on and continue -working- because that's why I'm here. To work, not to socialize with you. And FYI- I didn't know it was such a horrible ordeal until the masses informed me of such.
"Where are you from?"
"If you're referring to my accent, it's actually a speech impediment from when I was little."
"Oh! I'm so sorry. I didn't mean to..." or "It sounds like you're from (England, Australia, Europe, South America, Scotland, Ireland, any freaking foreign country that comes to mind, but usually England)."
Rinse, repeat up to fifty times each and every working day.
By the tenth, I'm a little frustrated that so many people feel the need to comment on it.
By the thirtieth, I don't want to give any response any longer but I'm trying not to be rude.
By the fortieth... just go away.
It's a personal question! It ends up being personal! Do I ask you where you grew up? Do I comment on the state of your greasy hair? Your BO?? Do I ask about your credit? No.
I am just your friendly McDonalds worker. Why do you need to know where I am from?!
cross posted to my own journal.
"Where are you from?"
It's not rant-able the first time. It's completely valid. I have an accent, or it sounds like I have an accent. However, instead of asking me about it, most customers will ask me this. My standard answer is,
"If you're referring to my accent, it's actually a speech impediment from when I was little."
The complete truth. I grew up here in New England since I was two years old. I don't have any accent different from yours. I don't wish to tell you my birth city, or my hometown (I don't really have one for starters). My voice is due to the fact that I couldn't pronounce a whole host of basic sounds until I went through speech therapy. R's, S's, and occasionally C's still trip me up. I cannot pronounce an R to save my life.
Here's where the annoyance starts to come in. The customer falters. This is not the answer they expect. It's the truth. And oh no! A speech impediment! How horrible!
"I'm so sorry. I didn't mean to..."
I just shake my head, plaster a smile on and continue -working- because that's why I'm here. To work, not to socialize with you. And FYI- I didn't know it was such a horrible ordeal until the masses informed me of such.
"Where are you from?"
"If you're referring to my accent, it's actually a speech impediment from when I was little."
"Oh! I'm so sorry. I didn't mean to..." or "It sounds like you're from (England, Australia, Europe, South America, Scotland, Ireland, any freaking foreign country that comes to mind, but usually England)."
Rinse, repeat up to fifty times each and every working day.
By the tenth, I'm a little frustrated that so many people feel the need to comment on it.
By the thirtieth, I don't want to give any response any longer but I'm trying not to be rude.
By the fortieth... just go away.
It's a personal question! It ends up being personal! Do I ask you where you grew up? Do I comment on the state of your greasy hair? Your BO?? Do I ask about your credit? No.
I am just your friendly McDonalds worker. Why do you need to know where I am from?!
cross posted to my own journal.