My grandmother sent me to buy water. The experience highlighted everything I hate about Poland’s store etiquette (or lack thereof).
I entered the small shack of goods and picked a sixpack of lightly-carbonated Cisowianka water. I set it on the counter by the register with some other sixpack on display already there. The clerk – nowhere to be found. So I waited. Eventually:
– Can I help you?
– Yes, I’d like to buy the sixpack of the Cisowianka water.
– *looks confused* The Nałęczowianka?
– No, just the Cisowianka
– How many?
– These six ones, lightly-carbonated.
– Alright…. Where did you get it from?
– *points to the ground* over there on the ground.
– So the Nałęczowianka?
– No, the Cisowianka, lightly-carbonated, right here *points*
– Alright that is… *looks at the single bottles on the shelf* … 1.60.
– For all six?
– No, just for one.
– …
– …
– …
– …
– So how much for all of them?
– It is, uuh… *starts looking for a calculator*
– *Making mental math* I believe it’s 9.60
– … ah yes, 9.60.
– Alright here is a ten… let me see if I have 60 cents to make it easier…
– …
– *counting change*
– *muttering* My god, I don’t have a whole day…
– *looks behind seeing no one else in the store* Here is the 60 cents.
– Thank you.
– Have a nice day.
– You too.
Never change, Poland… Never change.
