The other day I was walking home when I stopped at a crosswalk to wait for the light to change. Also waiting was a little old German lady. Not waiting was a small group of German teenage boys, who were wantonly crossing the street without proper permission from the little green man.
The little old lady was having none of this blatant disrespect for lit sign authority, and she started yelling up a storm at the boys. The boys, in turn, had a few half-hearted responses for her, but they really didn’t seem to mind her yelling as they went along their merry way. As rouge teenage street-crossing hellions, they were probably used to such treatment by society.
I thought I was just witnessing yet another typical grumpy old German tantrum, when suddenly things got a little more interesting. Up rode another little old lady on her bicycle, and starts yelling at, to my substantial surprise, little old lady #1. I didn’t quite catch everything she said, but the gist of it was, ‘Ah, leave the kids alone you miserable old hag.’ Little old lady #1 stopped yelling at the teenage boys in order to yell back at little old lady #2, and the intersection air was filled with angry, angry German.
At some point in all this the light changed, and, not wanting to stand around lest I get caught in the cross-fire, I crossed the street and continued on my path. Moments later, having finished berating little old lady #1, little old lady #2 pulled up next to me on her bike. ‘I’ve known her for years, and she’s always been like that,’ she said to me with a wink and a smile. ‘She’s grumpy and lonely and nobody likes her.’ And with that, my new favorite little old German lady stood up on her pedals and rode away.
That was brilliant.
I think that sums up Munich quite well. The sweet little Omas make things better here, although there are quite a few angry ones roaming about.
I really wish you had a video of that.
Today's captcha: hydrobwa. I think that's what happens when someone makes you laugh while you're drinking water.
Oh that was a great story! Had me laughing… The way it should be.
A good laugh for a Monday! I love the ending the most! I love how lady #2 bothered to inform you of the behind-the-scenes 😉 Brilliant!
Do little old ladies, on the other hand, congratulate their fellow citizens for public spirit or a job well done?
I LOVE that. I wonder if there is a way to incite a little old lady fight while I'm in Berlin. I've never been to Germany before and that would be the icing on the cake that is my trip.
little old ladies seem to be in full force this summer.
I wanted to say…thank you for your story. I like the picture you drew of the two little old ladies. I will be following your posts.
Great moment …
What a wonderful post! I could picture the whole thing. So glad you were there to witness it and keep it alive!
Oh, I miss Germany and am getting a little homesick for "grantige" Bavarians…
I LOVE a good old lady smackdown and am a witness to it more and more frequently here in Berlin.
Please, Please give me this kind of spirit in my old age.
Today's captcha: unrici. For when you landed in a pile of crap and your Nina Ricci is no longer working. – OK, so it is a REACH! Can't blame a girl for trying!
Snook – love the captcha interpretation. 🙂