La versión español está después de la versión inglés.
I TOOK THE train into Málaga Thursday for a day of food, shopping, and museums. I bought my round-trip train ticket here in Los Boliches. When I arrived in the city, my ticket wouldn’t scan at the reader. (Our home station has no scanners and is on the honor system.) It’s been a common problem lately because the system has been changed and the tickets and scanners are new. An agent was right there and she very quickly, and kindly, helped me.
When I headed home in the early evening, my ticket would again not scan at the reader. I tried several times and at every turnstyle, with an agent watching from nearby. I was the only person there, and the bells went off every time I tried. He had a very arrogant demeanor and he looked at me and walked away. He entered his code to get into the locked office and let the doors close and lock behind him.
I knocked gently at the glass. He ignored me. I knocked at the glass and called out, nicely, that I needed help because my ticket wouldn’t work. He ignored me. I knocked again.
He stomped out and I explained, still nicely, that my ticket wouldn’t work. He muttered that I should find out why and he pointed to a machine across the way. I said I was sorry but I had never seen that machine before, I was not quite as nice as I had been. He snatched (seriously… snatched) the ticket out of my hand and slapped it against the screen. He then pointed and snapped at me that the ticket was expired. I asked how that could be when I had only purchased it six hours earlier. He snapped, “It’s too old!” and walked away. I was fuming.
Then I took a breath and thought, ‘Didn’t I take THIS ticket out of my jacket pocket earlier and again just now? And didn’t I put TODAY’S ticket in my wallet after I paid for it? … Shit!!!’ I peeked in my wallet and saw the other ticket. Well, I’ll be damned.
But I sure wasn’t going to let that arrogant asshole know. So I walked over to the machine and bought myself a one-way ticket home — for another €4.10! After scanning it, I placed it in my wallet — on top of the round-trip ticket already there. Yes, I did.
I showed that asshole, didn’t I?
Today, some random photos (to click and enlarge) of my day in town. But come back for more. Next we’ll go together to the ancient public market. After that, we’ll all get some culture. I promise I won’t be an asshole.
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TOMÉ EL TREN a Málaga el jueves para un día de comida, compras, y museos. Le compré mi billete de tren de ida y vuelta aquí en Los Boliches. Cuando llegué a la ciudad, mi billete no escaneaba al lector. (Nuestra estación local no tiene escáneres y está en el sistema de honor.) Ha sido un problema común últimamente porque el sistema ha sido cambiado y los billetes y los escáneres son nuevos. Allí estaba un agente y ella, muy rápida y amablemente, me ayudó.
Cuando me dirigía a casa temprano en la noche, mi boleto no escaneaba nuevamente al lector. Lo intenté varias veces y en cada puerta, con un agente vigilando desde cerca. Yo era la única persona allí, y las campanas sonaban cada vez que lo intentaba. Me miró y se alejó. Tenía un comportamiento muy arrogante y superior. Ingresó su código para la oficina cerrada y dejar que las puertas se cerraran detrás de él.
Golpeé suavemente el cristal. El me ignoro. Golpeé el cristal y grité, amablemente, que necesitaba ayuda porque mi billete no funcionaría. El me ignoro. Llamé de nuevo.
Él pisoteó y le expliqué, aún amablemente, que mi billete no funcionaría. Murmuró que debería averiguar por qué y señaló otra máquina. Le dije que lo sentía, pero nunca antes había visto esa máquina, no era tan agradable como antes. Me arrebató (en serio … arrebató) el billete de mi mano y lo golpeó contra la pantalla. Luego señaló y me gritó que el billete había expirado. Le pregunté cómo podría ser eso cuando solo lo había comprado seis horas antes. Él espetó: “¡Es demasiado viejo!” Y se alejó. Yo estaba furioso
Entonces tomé un respiro y pensé: ‘¿No saqué ESTE billete del bolsillo de mi chaqueta antes y otra vez justo ahora? ¿Y no puse el billete de HOY en mi billetera después de pagarlo? … ¡Mierda!’ Me asomé en mi billetera y vi el otro billete. Voy a ser condenado.
Pero seguro que no iba a decirle a ese gillopas arrogante. Así que me acerqué a la máquina y me compré un billete de ida a casa, ¡por otros 4,10 €! Después de escanear mi nuevo billete, lo puse en mi billetera — encima del billete de ida y vuelta que ya estaba allí. Sí, lo hice.
Mostré ese gillipollas, ¿no?
Hoy, algunas fotos al azar (para hacer clic y ampliar) de mi día en la ciudad. Pero vuelve por más. Luego iremos juntos al antiguo mercado público. Después de eso, todos obtendremos algo de cultura. Prometo que no seré un gilipollas.
Esperando el tren (con dos billetes).
Dulces, frutos secos y nueces, papas fritas. Me encanta esta tienda (incluso sin Navidad). ¡Uno pensaría que el arquitecto tendría algún sentido estético!
Iglesia de San Juan Bautista del siglo XVI.
Anfiteatro romano (siglo I aC), Alcazaba (siglo 16), burbujas.
NOTE: A Spanish equivalent for “cut off your nose to spite your face” is “throw rocks at your own roof.”
NOTA: Un equivalente en inglés para “tirar piedras contra su propio tejado” es “cortarse su propia nariz para fastidiar su propia cara”.
Hola buenos días mi querido amigo Mitch, quitando lo desagradable que son algunas personas, sobre todo en el sector público y conociendo tu buen corazón estoy seguro que hasta ya te has olvidado de ese momento desagradable, y seguro que lo pasaste muy bien en Málaga, recorriendo el centro, las fotos están muy buenas, saludos.
Anonymous (Miguel?):
Muchas gracias. Soy agradable a veces! Intento.
lovely town!
anne marie:
I do love the city. Sometimes I wish we lived in the city center like we did in Sevilla.
I’ll admit it, I jumped a turnstile once, when my ticket wouldn’t scan, and there was no one being helpful. (even liften my suitcase over.) I won’t say when or where, it was a good number of years ago in a galaxy far far from here.
David:
I’m sure the agent thought I was some sort of con artist. Maybe he knew about my connection with you (the turnstile jumper) and it was guilt by association.
Oh dear lord, we are so much alike it ain’t even funny! Pretty pictures, too. I don’t mind culture as long as it’s not yogurt 🙂
Deedles:
It’s tragic how our behavior is so influenced by the behavior of others (specifically when the others are assholes). No yogurt that day. The best day I’ve had in a long time… and I’ve had some very nice days.
You aren’t alone in the ticket thing. I have done that, too.
sillygirl:
What a relief. Even SG was surprised I did that. He would have had no shame, I guess, and simply scanned his rediscovered ticket.
Hahahaha, you sure showed HIM, didn’t you? Love all your photos, especially the big bird sculpture. That would drive Moose and Dudo wild — I hope you showed it to them!
Debra:
I’ll bet HE’S sorry! That bird is painted on the side of the building… as are the little birds in flight that it was supposedly made up of. Moose won’t look. Dudo glanced and wasn’t interested. He does, however, LOVE bird videos. And squirrel videos. And fish videos… You get the idea.
Regardless of whether you had the correct ticket or not that guy should have done his freaking job politely….and you did show him lol.
Cheapchick:
There was no excuse for his behavior, which was rude and unhelpful from the start.
Scanners. Big waste of electricity.
Kirk:
Except for MY problem, they appear to be working more consistently now. But, when they’re not, it’s a mess.
In Montréal, I once scanned into the métro and promptly, and mistakenly, walked through an exit turnstile. Ooops. The scanners would not let me re-enter. They’re programmed against fare fraud; the same ticket scanning through twice in the space of five minutes is just not normal. The gate agent was perplexed when I explained my error (I could see her thinking, “quel idiot”), but she let me back in. And she kept her eye on me just to be sure.
Walt the Fourth:
Some of the subways stops in Brooklyn have stairs on the street that only go to one platform heading in one direction. Last year, I walked down the wrong stairs one day, slid my card, and then realized I was on the wrong side. The agent wouldn’t help and told me I couldn’t use my card again for 15 minutes and head to go back up and then down the stairs across the street to head in the other direction (and pay all over again). Sheesh!
Glad to know I’m in good company! 😉
What a beautiful town. I’m guessing our Maddie would love those dresses and would turn them out.
Agnes:
I always think of Mistress Maddie when I see the extravagance of some of these. He’d have a ball. And Málaga is definitely a beautiful city.
I am certain that I have been a situation of embarrassing proportions. Rolling eyes etc. just seems all one can do. Amazing how one angry comment can set the tone for an encounter. I try to smile even if isn’t going to help. BTW, is the gorgeous dress your size?
Ron:
The agent was truly unpleasant and inappropriate and I lowered myself to his level instead of coasting on the great mood I was in. I nearly let it ruin my day… until I started laughing at myself for “showing him.” I’m sure the dress wasn’t my size, but I loved it and couldn’t believe how cheap it was. I’ve never bought any clothes second hand!