I am pretty friendly with lots of people in my neighbourhood. Sometimes popping out to the shop to grab a bag of sugar can turn into a bit of a saga of mostly pleasant chit-chat. Anyway, that’s how my little area is and I really like it. It’s like a little village in the big city.
There is a woman who has been working in my local supermarket for about a year now. She is very polite, super-efficient and hard-working. Everything you could wish for in a busy shop where there is often only one person on the till and the queues often snake down the aisles.
On two occasions recently, I have witnessed rather ugly scenes at the checkout. The first one (early last week ) happened because in her haste, one of the items she was checking fell off the counter. She apologised to the customer and carried on. There was nothing broken. No damage done. Suddenly the man behind me started shouting at her hysterically, telling her not to rush so much, why was she always in such a hurry (the queue was very long and people were already impatient). He was very rude and totally over the top. The cashier said nothing. She looked down, very embarrassed. Other people joined in saying that she was always like that and that was why they didn’t like coming into this supermarket. I was so stunned at the reaction, I said absolutely nothing.
On Friday I went there as usual and it was the same woman on the till. I always choose to go to her because she is so efficient. Just as she was about to start with my things, a man approached her to query his bill. She checked it and it turned out that it was all in order. The man thanked her and left. The woman behind me started up (here we go again). “She always makes mistakes” “She’s doesn’t know her job” etc etc. This time I couldn’t hold it in. I turned round and said that’s not true, I’m in here most days (it’s very local) and I have never seen her make a mistake” She started shouting at me and telling me I was lying.
The cashier looked at me, very subtly rolled her eyes and then carried on checking out my shopping. I smiled at her (in that way you do when you want to show someone you are on their side). I left the store with the sound of others who had joined in to tell everyone who was listening, how awful this woman was. There have been several other small altercations with the same woman over the time she has been there. I get the feeling from her, that it happens frequently.
I was still angry when I got home. What the hell is wrong with people ? One busybody starts and off they go, like lemmings. Each lie and exaggerated claim more extreme than the last. And if you try and defend the wronged person, off they go attacking you.
It’s a small story and one that has no really significance until I tell you that the woman on the till is not Greek. And (obviously) nor am I. I have never seen this kind of behavior directed at the other cashiers in the same shop or indeed, in any other shop. If she really was incompetent, believe me, she would have been fired…
Draw your own conclusions.
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This story is instructive, since it highlights one of the typical modes of how Greek people tend to relate to non-Greeks. It is not exactly racist, although it looks and feels rather similar. In my judgement, it is this “xenomania versus xenophobia” that Greek culture tends to promote: either you come from an inferior culture [like Albania or an African country] or from a superior one [such as France, Germany, Scandinavia]. Automatically, you (the individual) are assumed to bear all the stereotyped characteristics of that culture and your actions are viewed with this clear prejudice. What is ridiculous about it, is that in both cases the majority of Greek people seem unable to deal with reality: instead, they live out their own Greek version of reality…
Hi Martin Baldwin-Edwards. I would still call it racism. Judging people because of race or nationality is racism as far as I am concerned but I understand the point you are making. However, in my opinion, racism manifests itself in many different ways (as you say in stereotyping people) but it is still racism.
Racism doesn’t have to be just about the negative traits associated with a particular race or nationality. The assumption that I can sing and dance or that I am good at sports because I am black, is still racist. Do you know what I mean?
What Martin Baldwin-Edwards doesn’t seem to understand, and it’s almost funny that a man this despicable, this hateful, is employed as an ‘expert’ regarding immigration to various Governments; is that Greece is FULL UP and that we don’t want any more immigrants. Liberals like Baldwin-Edwards don’t seem to understand that the voice of the people isn’t just foreign criminals, it’s we GREEKS too, and we don’t want any more foreigners in our country!
It works both ways too Diva. As a foreigner to a supermarket near my home, there are a few inept clerks who do the most annoying things, and when I asked why not do it this way, I got a lot of heat from some old men and women behind the line and all of a sudden it was “hey, the foreigner is ganging up on our Greek cashier” and they gave me “What For”..
Now, I look for the friendly english speaking cashiers before checking out at this international supermarket chain.