I suppose it's to be expected when you work for a non-profit organisation, but at work there's just far too much to be done and not enough person-hours in which to do it.
So when my mum gets a pay-immediately demand from the power company which whom she has a direct debit arrangement, and wants me to ring their call centre to sort it out, there's only one thing I can do.
"Mum, I'm so busy I haven't got time to piss!" I protest.
And even though I'm saying this is in beginner's level Cantonese, I'm pretty sure that a born and bred home-villager would have said it the same way (but with added cussing).
But it's almost true, you know. And she believes me.
Wow, that is REALLY busy. Tough spot to be in, to have no flexibility over your workaday schedule.
ReplyDeleteIt is a good thing people can't hold pee too long or we would weigh a ton in pee
ReplyDeleteAntoinette: well okay it was a slight exaggeration...but sometimes I'm so busy I forget to drink and then I realise I haven't been to the loo all day...so kinda the same...
ReplyDeleteAngela: good point. Liquid is pretty heavy. Bloatiness is bad enough when the culprit is gas!
Thank goodness my mum lives in another country!
ReplyDeleteJust a thought but a lot of call centres have a few employees who double as translators. Our one does and our chinese lady in accounts is often visiting to help out. Is that worth asking?
ReplyDeletetiki: thanks but we got it sorted. Nova Energy's on-hold time nowhere near as suicidally long as those for the big telecommunications firms (Telecom or TelstraClear).
ReplyDeleteAlso, there is always the Citizen's Advice Bureau - they have CAB Language Link, which is basically help in 26 languages. Though I'd have to get the mother over to her nearest CAB...