I had the near opposite experience recently. I was buying something from the counter at the gas station when a deliberate and angry woman walked in and asked the sole counterperson to show her how to make the pump work. He replied as I would have that you have to swipe the card first, hit the button, etc. She clarified that she could read the machine, but she didn't know how to operate the gas pump—at all. Mid-30s and she'd never had reason to put gas in her car.
When I was in Italy, some old guys chatting in front of a gas station had to come show me how to work the gas pump. In my defense, the pumps operate quite differently in Italy and I can't read Italian beyond menus and wine lists.
Still, I felt (and they looked at me) like I was mentally handicapped. I couldn't actually make out the words "stupid fat Americans," but I suspect some Italian variation thereof was uttered. Nonetheless, I was as grateful as a mentally handicapped American could be ("Grazie, grazie, grazie!").
I had the near opposite experience recently. I was buying something from the counter at the gas station when a deliberate and angry woman walked in and asked the sole counterperson to show her how to make the pump work. He replied as I would have that you have to swipe the card first, hit the button, etc. She clarified that she could read the machine, but she didn't know how to operate the gas pump—at all. Mid-30s and she'd never had reason to put gas in her car.
Posted by Kriston | Link to this comment | 05- 2-05 7:17 AM
Was she from Jersey?
Posted by Matt Weiner | Link to this comment | 05- 2-05 7:19 AM
My Grandmother never learned to drive, and my kids seem to be incapable of ever putting gas in the car. I'm really in the "squeezed" generation.
Posted by Tripp | Link to this comment | 05- 2-05 9:17 AM
When I was in Italy, some old guys chatting in front of a gas station had to come show me how to work the gas pump. In my defense, the pumps operate quite differently in Italy and I can't read Italian beyond menus and wine lists.
Still, I felt (and they looked at me) like I was mentally handicapped. I couldn't actually make out the words "stupid fat Americans," but I suspect some Italian variation thereof was uttered. Nonetheless, I was as grateful as a mentally handicapped American could be ("Grazie, grazie, grazie!").
Posted by apostropher | Link to this comment | 05- 2-05 9:21 AM
apostropher,
Travel broadens a person, doesn't it?
Posted by Tripp | Link to this comment | 05- 3-05 6:11 AM
I'm looking at the pictures and yes, I'm rather broader now than when I went to Italy. Pregnancy weight, y'know.
Posted by apostropher | Link to this comment | 05- 3-05 6:41 AM