I've got a summer job at a supermarket in Northern Norway this summer. The first week was stressful, and I thought I wouldn't be able to handle it, but I've gotten into the routines now and know the basic shit. Since I sit behind the counter a lot, I get to observe a lot of different people during one day. Most people are nice and don't even utter many words, others complain about products that have the wrong price tag or sigh when something takes too long. Some people even attempt to pull some jokes, and this is what amuses me, because there are two jokes that I hear every week. I don't even consider them very funny, but since I have to be polite I always fake a laugh or a small giggle and I'd still take bad jokes instead of pissed off customers.
Me: Do you want a bag?
Customer: Yes, it's a little too much to carry in my pockets! [insert laugh and huge grin]
Me: Yes, I suppose so... [insert fake giggle and fake smile]
That's one of the two jokes. The customer often looks at other customers while saying it, hoping to get more people laughing and thus feeling better about himself. Hilarious. A real crowdpleaser that one.
Me: Do you want the receipt?
Customer: I doubt I get anything back on my taxes if I preserve it! [insert laugh and grin again]
Me: Yeah, unfortunately I doubt you would... [insert fake giggle and smile again]
It's just funny to hear those jokes so often. I dont know who came up with them to start with, but it must have been some fekkin' clown! Funny thing is I heard the exact same jokes when working in a shop in another city last year.
Another funny observation I've made is that Norwegians (at least up here) seem to drink a lot less beer than our Finnish neighbors. That's how it appears, anyway. During one shift I might get 5-10 people buying beer or cider whereas it seems like every 4th customer in Finland carries home a six-pack or twelve-pack from the shop. Crazy! Maybe the high prices scare customers here? Maybe they are brewing stuff at home? Who knows.
On a sidenote: I woke up today, and I saw snow! Wet snow coming down from the skies above. I really need a couple of weeks in some warm country after this.
Tommy out.
