01.09.2013 - Chicken and Duck Talk

I keep thinking how these foreign workers communicate to their employers? It was Saturday; and as what I mentioned earlier, I was asked to find the soy sauce located somewhere Permatang Pauh, which we have been using since we were young. Upon my arrival, the home look factory was quiet. I knew someone would be inside, just that I need to try harder to get them response. This time, 1 male workers believed to be from Nepal approached me. He doesn't sound like seller but more likely an illegal workers that looks afraid of my presence. I speak to him in local dialect, in this case, Bahasa hoping that he can understand them. Well, in my country commonly Bahasa is the easiest language to learn. So, he replied with his head shaking up and down. So I assumed he understand what I am trying to say. Once I entered, I showed him photos I captured with my phone, at home before I leave the house. He took me to the tray and asked me, how many bottles I am looking into. So I said 6 bottles of soy sauce, 1 sweet sour plum sauce and 1 fermented grind soy bean paste. They are packed into the transparent yellow plastic bags. Both satisfied with the order. So, I asked, how much. He smile at me and shows me the price printed on each bottle. I said, yes I know but  how much in total. He smile and finger counting the items in the bag. I waited and impatiently draw out my hand phone and start to sum up the cost instead of waiting for his reply. Total = 47.90; so I pay him 50.00, in which there should be a balance of 2.10 to be returned to me. I made it clear for him that he needs to return 2.10 to me. So he node his head and went straight to the office which is approx. 10 feet away. I guess he must be looking for small change. So, 10 minutes past and yet he have yet to return the balance. I started to sense something wrong with him. My helmet and thick jacket that I still put on started to cause sweat on me. I remove them and walk slowly toward the office. What really surprises me is, he is looking at the calculator, pressing it again and again (not sure what he is counting) while the other hand is holding my 50 dollar note. I entered the office and asked him what is he doing. He smiles and continue to look at the calculator seriously. I cannot imagine what is he doing. It is Saturday and the place I visited is not a sales office. There is no one there except him and what keep him busy with the calculator. I asked him what's wrong and he again smile. Loosing patient, I calculate the total sum that I need to pay using his calculator and what really make me more mad is, he hand me 20 dollar as a return. I pull him out with his calculator and show him what I have taken. I recount them using 1 by 1 bottle to make him understand. Once done, I entered the balance to be returned; 2.1 in the calculator to make them visible rather then talking to him in which I have concern he knew what I am talking. I started to use hand sign pointing the 2.1 in the calculator and pointed back to me to illustrate that he need to return me that amount. But, again he handed me the 20 dollar notes and wave his hand hinting me to take the goods without further action. Seriously if this is other purchaser, I bet they take it and leave. Well, not me because I've been raised not to cheat people. So to make things more easy, I grabbed his hand and pull 10 dollar note, but again he pass me another 1 dollar to sum it 20 dollar. So, to make things easier, I took out 1 of the item, assume he return me 10 dollar and exchange with another 3 dollars. That means, I paid him total of 43 for 43.90 worth items. I was in the plan to pass him 43 dollar but unfortunately I have only 3 dollars in loose. What really  make me laugh is he looks happy with the deal and wave good bye. Before that he hand me his boss's contact number and smile. It is full of frustration but funny to have this kind of person to deal with. I keep laughing while I riding back home. I cannot imagine if it is other person than me, I bet they will take the 20 dollars exchange and leave with few more bottles of soy sauce. What an idiot boss he has, leaving him behind without any guidance.