Did I blow my resolution???
I was in the school office today to take a phone call for our team of teachers. I was called to answer because the parent requesting a meeting didn't speak English. I usually take the Spanish-speaking calls. And sometimes I take such calls for the office too. Although we do have a bilingual "Home-School Liason." Recently she's been quite ill, so the office is under a lot of stress to handle these calls. If I'm there, I happily help out.
So today after I had arranged a phone conference with our parent, the secretary asked if I could take a call in Spanish. She handed me the phone in a sort of desperate motion. (I'm speaking in Spanish, translated here for my English-speaking audience)
Me: This is Mrs. PJ, may I help you?
Caller: BLub, Blub, Blub
Me: I beg your pardon?
Caller: Blub, Blub, Blub
Me: I'm sorry. I don't understand. I'm a teacher who speaks Spanish and happened to be in the office. I don't know who you are or what you want. Can you start at the beginning and I'll try to help you.
Caller: I'm Mrs. Blah Blah. I'm calling for a Spanish language interpreter.
Me: Well, I'm not an interpreter. I'm a teacher who speaks Spanish. For what do you need this interpreter?
Caller: For a meeting with Mr. Dean-of-the-school
Me: I don't see Mr. DOTS in his office right now, you'll need to make an appointment to see him.
Caller: I have an appointment to see him.
Me: When is this appointment.
Caller: At 4 o'clock.
Me: (Staring at the clock on the wall which now says 4:08) And where are you now? Are you here at the school now? (I'm thinking she's calling from the parking lot, etc.)
Caller: (Irritably) I'm at home.
Me: Well, if you have a 4 o'clock appointment with Mr. DOTS, I'm sure he's in the building. However, since it is already almost 10 after 4, you can't possibly be here for a 4 o'clock appointment. I don't know if there's anyone else in the building who speaks Spanish except me and I'm on my way out. I won't be here at 4:30 which is the earliest you can possibly make it. Perhaps you need to call and reschedule, and. . .
Caller: ("Click")
New Year's Resolution: So today after I had arranged a phone conference with our parent, the secretary asked if I could take a call in Spanish. She handed me the phone in a sort of desperate motion. (I'm speaking in Spanish, translated here for my English-speaking audience)
Me: This is Mrs. PJ, may I help you?
Caller: BLub, Blub, Blub
Me: I beg your pardon?
Caller: Blub, Blub, Blub
Me: I'm sorry. I don't understand. I'm a teacher who speaks Spanish and happened to be in the office. I don't know who you are or what you want. Can you start at the beginning and I'll try to help you.
Caller: I'm Mrs. Blah Blah. I'm calling for a Spanish language interpreter.
Me: Well, I'm not an interpreter. I'm a teacher who speaks Spanish. For what do you need this interpreter?
Caller: For a meeting with Mr. Dean-of-the-school
Me: I don't see Mr. DOTS in his office right now, you'll need to make an appointment to see him.
Caller: I have an appointment to see him.
Me: When is this appointment.
Caller: At 4 o'clock.
Me: (Staring at the clock on the wall which now says 4:08) And where are you now? Are you here at the school now? (I'm thinking she's calling from the parking lot, etc.)
Caller: (Irritably) I'm at home.
Me: Well, if you have a 4 o'clock appointment with Mr. DOTS, I'm sure he's in the building. However, since it is already almost 10 after 4, you can't possibly be here for a 4 o'clock appointment. I don't know if there's anyone else in the building who speaks Spanish except me and I'm on my way out. I won't be here at 4:30 which is the earliest you can possibly make it. Perhaps you need to call and reschedule, and. . .
Caller: ("Click")
I ask you: Did I break my new year's resolution??
To tolerate fools more gladly, provided this does not encourage them to take up more of my time.
-James Agate
2 comments:
What a great post. After your last comment at my place and then reading this, I thought, "She must be like THE nicest person."
What in the world! I actually think you were very nice to her!
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