Robin-in-TX
10-31-2016, 11:18 AM
Hi,
I read here all the time but almost never comment or post. Something nice happened today and this is the only community that I can share it with.
I'm in Virginia for a week and there is a store here, Belk. They were having a lingerie sale and my panties were getting ratty and needed replaced, so, I printed off the coupon in the hotel business center and headed off. Now, I used to feel weird shopping but suddenly I just don't care. I have every right to buy what I want to wear.
Anyway, I looked around and found what I wanted and went to pay. The associate was named Julija, which I immediately recognized as southern slavic. I asked her where she was from and she said Croatia, so, I started speaking Croatian to her. I lived two years in Montenegro, which has a very similar language and speakers of Croatian and Montenegrin can understand each other.
Tears welled in her eyes. It was the first time anyone has spoken to her in her native language in a year. We chatted a bit while the line built up behind me. She had my panties in her hand so they were waving about. That was kind of funny.
She was really happy. Eventually, I paid for my purchases, thanked her in Croatian and said goodbye the ladies behind me were just staring at us, then went on my way.
I would not have thought that buying panties could turn out so well.
Thanks for reading.
I am editing the post to address wbdavid's comment. He stated, "Great story. But you can share this with others just leave the panties part out. Does it really matter what you bought or were shopping for?"
wbdavid's comment is well taken criticism, I left out details on why it is important. My response is as follows:
wbdavid,
Yes and no. Balkan countries generally do not accept people like us. They do not accept gay, transgender or people that stray from traditional gender roles and if you were to go into a store and attempt to buy a dress, it is unlikely you would get service. There is a level of violence directed at anyone appearing to be atypical.
So, to be buying things from her that she probably would not sell me in her country is part of the story. She put aside traditional prejudice to have a human moment with me. So, yes, I could tell a story about shopping, running into a woman from Croatia and speaking to her, but that story would not be this story. I know I left out all the biases that underpin the story. While important to me, I was not sure that it would be important to everyone here. So, yes it mattered.
I read here all the time but almost never comment or post. Something nice happened today and this is the only community that I can share it with.
I'm in Virginia for a week and there is a store here, Belk. They were having a lingerie sale and my panties were getting ratty and needed replaced, so, I printed off the coupon in the hotel business center and headed off. Now, I used to feel weird shopping but suddenly I just don't care. I have every right to buy what I want to wear.
Anyway, I looked around and found what I wanted and went to pay. The associate was named Julija, which I immediately recognized as southern slavic. I asked her where she was from and she said Croatia, so, I started speaking Croatian to her. I lived two years in Montenegro, which has a very similar language and speakers of Croatian and Montenegrin can understand each other.
Tears welled in her eyes. It was the first time anyone has spoken to her in her native language in a year. We chatted a bit while the line built up behind me. She had my panties in her hand so they were waving about. That was kind of funny.
She was really happy. Eventually, I paid for my purchases, thanked her in Croatian and said goodbye the ladies behind me were just staring at us, then went on my way.
I would not have thought that buying panties could turn out so well.
Thanks for reading.
I am editing the post to address wbdavid's comment. He stated, "Great story. But you can share this with others just leave the panties part out. Does it really matter what you bought or were shopping for?"
wbdavid's comment is well taken criticism, I left out details on why it is important. My response is as follows:
wbdavid,
Yes and no. Balkan countries generally do not accept people like us. They do not accept gay, transgender or people that stray from traditional gender roles and if you were to go into a store and attempt to buy a dress, it is unlikely you would get service. There is a level of violence directed at anyone appearing to be atypical.
So, to be buying things from her that she probably would not sell me in her country is part of the story. She put aside traditional prejudice to have a human moment with me. So, yes, I could tell a story about shopping, running into a woman from Croatia and speaking to her, but that story would not be this story. I know I left out all the biases that underpin the story. While important to me, I was not sure that it would be important to everyone here. So, yes it mattered.