So, I just off a call with one of the rudest people ever to participate in the ATP cycle. The client for whom I was translating simply needed to know why her power had yet to come on after having changed domicile. It was very apparent to me, given my experience with these companies, that what she needed to do was simply flip her breaker to the ON position. Now, it is not my place to fill in information, only translate exactly what is said by either party. The guy just wanted to be rude, obtuse, and belittle this poor lady who just didn’t understand. I wanted so badly to explain exactly what she needed to do. She had the sweetest, little girl voice, and I felt like this guy was just being verbally abusive to her, using my mouth as his instrument of abuse. Did I break my company policy and tone down his words? You betcha’! Did I, in the end, break company policy again by adding the occasional extra phrase to help guide the poor lady. Yup! How much does it cost to be nice? I mean, really? How much?
That was certainly an unenviable position you were in, Wrey. It's too bad you were not also being paid to translate subtext, you would be interjecting phrases like "I am an ass" and "I enjoy wasting your time and making you feel small, because it makes me look bigger in my own eyes." Too bad some people spread misery as if it were diamonds. The pity is, it doesn't even make them happy, it just feeds their own self loathing.
That's sad, people like him should kill themselves and start over because they seriously fail at life. But yeah, it's true, being nice in this world is extremely hard to do, but even if you do try to be nice, you're never appreciated, every nice thing is paid back by a nasty thing.
Being nice in order to be recognized as nice? Maybe that is hard. I think being nice is just an easier, more pleasant way to live. It takes more work to carry a huge chip on your shoulder. It leads to scoliosis of the soul.
I've always found it so weird when people say it's hard to be nice. I think it's the easiest way to live. I try to be nice to everyone, even to my awful boss. It's easy to be nice to those who are nice to us, but it's a lot more difficult to be nice when someone is stupid/nasty/annoying/self-centered etc. Ah, and I never expect to get anything in return. I want to be nice, because it's fun/easy/wonderful/makes me happy/makes others happy. I don't need a reward for being nice. Niceness in itself is a reward. Maybe some people will use me for it, but I don't care. In the long run, I'll win. Wrey, you rock. Keep it up. (and what an unfortunate situation)
This is why lil ol lady's should always carry umbrella's. They get that in person too. WHACK WHACK WHACK WHACK. That'll teach em.
