Ailantha
  • Blog
  • About
  • Contact

Service Without A Smile. Part Two

7/2/2014

0 Comments

 
    Continued from yesterday...  
    You sometimes hear Americans complain about the unfriendliness of the French -or  the Italians or some other nationality - towards Americans.   Having lived for a year in Paris 43 years ago I must concede that at that time there was some validity to that assessment of the French.  (Of course I haven't been back to France in almost 40 years, so maybe attitudes have changed since then).  But anyway, what I learned at that time about the French and about the people in every country I've since visited is that if, as a foreigner, you try to communicate with the local people and let them know that you're interested in learning  their language, culture and customs then they'll open up and blossom with friendliness.
    Except it seems to me that the the opposite is true of the Amish; that if  you attempt any  kind of exchange with them except for one of a monetary nature, they'll respond by adding another layer of permafrost, as did the pretty Amish teenager with the stoney expression who waited on us at Grandma's, the plain but homey little restaurant outside Berlin where, at the recommendation of our tour guide, we had lunch. 
     I'm guessing that  at the beginning of each new shift the manger of Grandma's must line up the waitresses to remind each of them to  straighten their bonnet and skirt, put on a clean apron,  give quick and efficient service,
don't greet the customers or say hello or  tell them your name or ask them how they're doing today,   don't say one more word to the customer than is absolutely necessary for the exchange of the business at hand,  do not exhibit the least suggestion of friendliness in either word or gesture,  and any waitress caught smiling will be immediately fired.
    The food we had at Grandma's was really good, delicious and plentiful, and we enjoyed it as much as one can enjoy a meal generously seasoned with loathing.  We left our hostile little Amish waitress a decent tip anyway.
      It was the opinion of our ex-Amish guide  that  if the Amish allowed their members to drive cars then their way of life would be extinct in one generation.  I'd add that the unfriendliness of the Amish to outsiders is likewise  a defense against extinction.  Because a smile can lead to a friendship and a friendship can lead to love and, as the song says, love changes everything.
    And there would go all the Amish stuff.
    But don't worry,  I don't think there's much danger of that happening any time soon.

0 Comments



Leave a Reply.

    Picture
    "Equal And Opposite Reactions"
     by Patti Liszkay
    Buy it on Amazon:

    http://amzn.to/2xvcgRa
    Picture
    ​"Hail Mary"
    by Patti Liszkay
    Buy it on Amazon:

    https://www.amzn.com/1684334888
    Picture
    "Tropical Depression" 
    by Patti Liszkay
    ​Buy it on Amazon:   
    https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0BTPN7NYY

    Archives

    May 2025
    April 2025
    March 2025
    February 2025
    January 2025
    December 2024
    November 2024
    October 2024
    September 2024
    August 2024
    July 2024
    June 2024
    May 2024
    April 2024
    March 2024
    February 2024
    January 2024
    December 2023
    November 2023
    October 2023
    September 2023
    August 2023
    July 2023
    June 2023
    May 2023
    April 2023
    March 2023
    February 2023
    January 2023
    December 2022
    November 2022
    October 2022
    September 2022
    August 2022
    July 2022
    June 2022
    May 2022
    April 2022
    March 2022
    February 2022
    January 2022
    December 2021
    November 2021
    October 2021
    September 2021
    August 2021
    July 2021
    June 2021
    May 2021
    April 2021
    March 2021
    February 2021
    January 2021
    December 2020
    November 2020
    October 2020
    September 2020
    August 2020
    July 2020
    June 2020
    May 2020
    April 2020
    March 2020
    February 2020
    January 2020
    December 2019
    November 2019
    October 2019
    September 2019
    August 2019
    July 2019
    June 2019
    May 2019
    April 2019
    March 2019
    February 2019
    January 2019
    December 2018
    November 2018
    October 2018
    September 2018
    August 2018
    July 2018
    June 2018
    May 2018
    April 2018
    March 2018
    February 2018
    January 2018
    December 2017
    November 2017
    October 2017
    September 2017
    August 2017
    July 2017
    June 2017
    May 2017
    April 2017
    March 2017
    February 2017
    January 2017
    December 2016
    November 2016
    October 2016
    September 2016
    August 2016
    July 2016
    June 2016
    May 2016
    April 2016
    March 2016
    February 2016
    January 2016
    December 2015
    November 2015
    September 2015
    August 2015
    July 2015
    June 2015
    May 2015
    April 2015
    March 2015
    February 2015
    January 2015
    December 2014
    November 2014
    October 2014
    September 2014
    August 2014
    July 2014
    June 2014
    May 2014
    April 2014
    March 2014
    February 2014
    January 2014
    December 2013

    RSS Feed

    I am a traveler just visiting this planet and reporting various and sundry observations,
    hopefully of interest to my fellow travelers.

    Categories

    All


























































































  • Blog
  • About
  • Contact