Listening Skills

Those who know me well are used to me being very open and honest, and not the type to "beat around the bush".

People here don't listen very well. They just don't. They have their own agenda, and when you say something (repeatedly even), it just doesn't get through to them. We all speak the Queen's English here (and I've even picked up a broken English ala my mom to remove any indistinguishable words or phrases) so I am freaking clear as crystal. But problems prevail anyway.

Example 1# - Getting to Church
Sunday I didn't reserve a driver to go to Mass since in total it's only an hour and a half and you only need a reservation for trips more than two hours. I went to the driver desk and asked for a DT cab - none are there (which was a lie, I saw them leaving the parking lot, but that's a whole other issue here). So I take a hotel cab (that costs triple!) instead.

I tell the driver I am going to St. Alphonus Church in Banjara Hills.

"Eh, what is the street medam??
"I don't know - I'm not from here, but it's in Banjara Hills. You know where this is?"
"Ok, yes medam..... Church? Francis Church?"
"No, St. Alphonus.."
"Francis?"
"NO, AL-PHON-SUS."
"Oh yes, Francis Church - driver knows."
"No, it's not Francis, it's Alphonsus; AL-PHON-SUS, Catholic church in Banjara Hills".

At this point, it's 9:15am and the Mass starts at 9:30. I am getting pissed because these people clearly don't know what I am trying to say. Another driver comes up.

"You are Catholic medam?"
"Yes, Catholic. Do you know this church, Banjara Hills? Alphonsus Church?"
"Oh, yes, yes medam."

He goes to speak to the jerkface I was dealing with before, and they squabble about something, and comes back to me.

"Ok medam, this driver take you to Church".
"OK, thanks".

In the car, driving along. My driver is going really slow, and I know I am going to be late (which irks me). None of the streets have names on them, but I can recognize enough where I am by the stores and advertisements.

The driver turns off a road, and is going down a street, slowly and all I can think is "This guy doesn't know where he is going".

"Eh, medam, you know where church is?"
"No, I don't. I am not from here - I am expecting you to know this place".
"OK, medam."

He pulls up to a driveway, asks the security guard at the gate and comes running back.

"OK medam, here."
"Um, this isn't a church. This is houses."
"Yes, Church."

I get out and look around. This is clearly the wrong place. The guard comes up to me and says "Church, medam?"

"Yes, but is this the back way? I don't know this place."
"Yes medam, behind over there".

I start walking in this complex, and I'm like, WTF, am I coming in from the back way? I walk down to the end, and there is a fence. I turn around pissed as hell, and the guard runs up to me and points to the left.

"Church medam, right there".

I look and I'm like, that is not a church. That is some guy's house.

"Francis Church, medam - right here. You know him medam?"

I run back to the driver, fuming, and tell him to take me beck to the hotel because he took me to the wrong place. Along the way, I see the steeples of the church and tell him to turn. What a coincidence - it was St. Alphonsus....

Example #2 - Shopping

I wear a lot of dark colors with simple patterns. I just like streamlined things that are easy to wash and match with other pieces. I'd say half of my clothes are black, with the rest a mix of dark browns, greens, reds, purples. I hate pink on me (but on other people it can look cute) and I hate lots of design and pattern on things (again, not for me).

I went shopping with some girls from work to a new boutique that opened since I was looking for some Indian style tunics (kortas). At first I am just browsing, and then the shop owner comes in.

"Hi, how are you. What can I help with?"
"hi, good thanks. I am looking for some shirts, tunics."
"Oh, OK. What about this?"

She shows me a dress.

"No, not dress. Shirts, you know? Tunics - like this." (I show her a tunic).
"Oh, yes very pretty".
"Yes, I am looking for this, like, black, red, green - dark".
"OK, what about this". (shows me a orange one)
"Mmm, no, too bright. You know, black, dark".
"OK, what about this". (shows me a pink one with sequins).
"No, not pink. Dark, black, plain"
"OK, what about this". (shows me a white shirt with 3-D black flowers on it).
"Mm, no".
"But it's very pretty"
"Sure, but not for me".

After another 10 minutes of this, Zareen, who was there with me, busted out some loose fabric (dark blue and dark green) and saved me by having some shirts tailor made.

Example #3 - At Work

I asked someone if they could do a hypo calc for me. They said, yes, I can do this. I said, ok - here is the info. 5 minutes later they have a doubt. I come by the desk, and ask them to open the program.

They don't have the program.

THEN WHY DID YOU TELL ME YOU COULD DO THIS?!?!?