Why nice people are wonderful
Nov. 1st, 2006 07:53 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
philenaYesterday at the bakery all day only Brigette and I were working. I will not say much about the day; I will merely say that a combination of her constant screw-ups and her defensive, pop-psych attitude of "you're correcting me to feel better about yourself" had me in tears when Daniel came to pick me up as I closed the store. I ended up working over nine hours that day without a break, a lunch, a glass of water, or even sitting down, because I did not feel that I could leave her alone in the insanely busy store. She screwed up enough when my back was turned. (Then in the evening the computer died when I was trying to close, which took another while to deal with.)
So naturally, this morning I was feeling less than charitable. I griped about her to Elida, who was doing the morning delivery. After the refrigerator incident, Elida and I have become buddies, and she was delighted to hear the gossip and gave me a very satisfying set of goodness-that's-dreadful responses. However, after Brigette had left for the day, I asked Meg, who is blessedly competent and a sweetheart, for some help. Meg is a nice, nice person, and I so asked her what she, as a nice person, should do in this situation to keep Brigette from feeling defensive and still train her not to screw up. Meg admitted she had no idea, and that she and Ari (also blessedly competent) had run into the same problem that I had, but she was so sympathetic to both sides, and so dedicated to making sure that everyone was happy that I felt much better after talking to her without any resolution than I had after the somewhat malicious griping I had done that morning to Elida. I'm not saying Elida isn't a nice person; but Meg is such a saintly-ly nice person that talking to her set my mind at rest in the way griping couldn't have. It's possible that in the back of my restful mind is the hope that Brigette will be fired, since it's clear everyone's having these problems with her, but Meg's influence is still so strong that that hope isn't too much in the foreground right now.
Phoebe sent me a letter! And not only did she send me a letter, she sent me letters that her students in Mongolian wrote to me as a homework assignment. Her students hang out with her, it seems; as she says "to generally talk and check out my junk. They love my discman and headphones. Anyway, the objects they are always fascinated by are the photos of you two." (Me and Daniel) "This is your sister, right? How old is she? What is she wearing? Oh, it's graduation. She looks so much like you! Who's he? Ah, her husband." (Boyfriend, but people seem to make this mistake in both hemispheres, so Daniel and I have rather given up correcting them.) "He's very hairy!"
Of course Daniel and I have decided to write back to the students! Here are the letters that Phoebe sent. She says they are the best of the class.
Hello! My name is Dulmaa. How are you? How old are you? I'm reading books writing letters and studying English. I also write letters and tests. What will you do Tsagaan sar*. My father's name is Gargalsairhan. Have you boy friend
Dulmaa-s Clara-d**
please wrote me letter.
Dear Clara.
Hello? My name is Enkh-Amgalaan. I study 8th grade. I Phoebe's very good friend. Phoebe very good speak in Mongolia. Phoebe is very beuatiful and You are very beuatiful. I look at your photo and your mother, grandmother, and grandfather. Will you go to Mongolia. Mongolia is very nice. What do you do? How old are you? Have you got a boyfriend? Please give me your photo. Please write me letter?
Hello, Hello? My name is Michidmaa but call me Mickey because I am small. I Phoebe's very good friend. I love Phoebe? What's America like. Mongolia is very nice. I look your photo. You are very beautiful. I study 8th grade. I have got black and long hair, big eyes, small nose and big ears. I like to speak English but I bad speak English. Phoebe very good speak Mongolia. I go to Olimpics every year but I not get medal. I have got very nice friends. They's names are Chaggy, Tseggy, Eggy, Phoebe and maybe you. How old are you? What do you do? Phoebe speak about you. I am 13 years old. I have got boyfriend but I am bad because BREAK UP my boyfriend. Have you boyfriend. Now I am sad because I break up my boyfriend. I look beautiful and my friends look beautiful. Bye bye. See you. Pleace? Write me letter? Pleace? Give me your photo? Mickey-s Clara-d
We plan to respond this weekend.
*Phoebe explains: "Tsagaan sar, btw, means literally "White Month" in Mongolian and is a celebration that lasts several days in February. Everybody eats a lot of meat dumplings and rejoices that the winter is finally over for the year. Dulmaa perhaps is unaware that you do not celebrate Tsagaan Sar."
**Phoebe explains: "Dulmaa-s Clara-d is an anglicization of 'Дулмаас Кларад,' which means 'From Dulmaa to Clara'
So naturally, this morning I was feeling less than charitable. I griped about her to Elida, who was doing the morning delivery. After the refrigerator incident, Elida and I have become buddies, and she was delighted to hear the gossip and gave me a very satisfying set of goodness-that's-dreadful responses. However, after Brigette had left for the day, I asked Meg, who is blessedly competent and a sweetheart, for some help. Meg is a nice, nice person, and I so asked her what she, as a nice person, should do in this situation to keep Brigette from feeling defensive and still train her not to screw up. Meg admitted she had no idea, and that she and Ari (also blessedly competent) had run into the same problem that I had, but she was so sympathetic to both sides, and so dedicated to making sure that everyone was happy that I felt much better after talking to her without any resolution than I had after the somewhat malicious griping I had done that morning to Elida. I'm not saying Elida isn't a nice person; but Meg is such a saintly-ly nice person that talking to her set my mind at rest in the way griping couldn't have. It's possible that in the back of my restful mind is the hope that Brigette will be fired, since it's clear everyone's having these problems with her, but Meg's influence is still so strong that that hope isn't too much in the foreground right now.
Phoebe sent me a letter! And not only did she send me a letter, she sent me letters that her students in Mongolian wrote to me as a homework assignment. Her students hang out with her, it seems; as she says "to generally talk and check out my junk. They love my discman and headphones. Anyway, the objects they are always fascinated by are the photos of you two." (Me and Daniel) "This is your sister, right? How old is she? What is she wearing? Oh, it's graduation. She looks so much like you! Who's he? Ah, her husband." (Boyfriend, but people seem to make this mistake in both hemispheres, so Daniel and I have rather given up correcting them.) "He's very hairy!"
Of course Daniel and I have decided to write back to the students! Here are the letters that Phoebe sent. She says they are the best of the class.
Hello! My name is Dulmaa. How are you? How old are you? I'm reading books writing letters and studying English. I also write letters and tests. What will you do Tsagaan sar*. My father's name is Gargalsairhan. Have you boy friend
Dulmaa-s Clara-d**
please wrote me letter.
Dear Clara.
Hello? My name is Enkh-Amgalaan. I study 8th grade. I Phoebe's very good friend. Phoebe very good speak in Mongolia. Phoebe is very beuatiful and You are very beuatiful. I look at your photo and your mother, grandmother, and grandfather. Will you go to Mongolia. Mongolia is very nice. What do you do? How old are you? Have you got a boyfriend? Please give me your photo. Please write me letter?
Hello, Hello? My name is Michidmaa but call me Mickey because I am small. I Phoebe's very good friend. I love Phoebe? What's America like. Mongolia is very nice. I look your photo. You are very beautiful. I study 8th grade. I have got black and long hair, big eyes, small nose and big ears. I like to speak English but I bad speak English. Phoebe very good speak Mongolia. I go to Olimpics every year but I not get medal. I have got very nice friends. They's names are Chaggy, Tseggy, Eggy, Phoebe and maybe you. How old are you? What do you do? Phoebe speak about you. I am 13 years old. I have got boyfriend but I am bad because BREAK UP my boyfriend. Have you boyfriend. Now I am sad because I break up my boyfriend. I look beautiful and my friends look beautiful. Bye bye. See you. Pleace? Write me letter? Pleace? Give me your photo? Mickey-s Clara-d
We plan to respond this weekend.
*Phoebe explains: "Tsagaan sar, btw, means literally "White Month" in Mongolian and is a celebration that lasts several days in February. Everybody eats a lot of meat dumplings and rejoices that the winter is finally over for the year. Dulmaa perhaps is unaware that you do not celebrate Tsagaan Sar."
**Phoebe explains: "Dulmaa-s Clara-d is an anglicization of 'Дулмаас Кларад,' which means 'From Dulmaa to Clara'
no subject
Date: 2006-11-02 04:59 am (UTC)Good luck with Brigette!