You know how as a child you were told never to let strangers into your home? For obvious reasons such as security. Well that piece of friendly advice somehow got lost in translation yesterday.
Let me tell you what happened.
So there i was, sitting at my computer and trying to get some work done because a sudden surge of urgency came over me yesterday when i realised another deadline was lurking around the corner.
And then the doorbell rang.
Thinking it couldn't have been the garbage men because i just saw them earlier that morning. And it sure wasn't DHL because i had just ordered some items online hours ago and it would be a miracle if they arrived that quick.
So i crept to the front door and looked out the peep hole.
There was a man in his late 40s, maybe even early 50s standing there with two briefcase-looking bags. One made out of metal and painted red and another faux leather and in black. He didn't look like he was there to sell me anything.
Hallo? Wer ist da?, i said in German.
I opened the door and he went on to explain that he was an electrician and had been asked by our property management to fix the TV connection because our neighbour upstairs on the 4th floor had bad reception.
I tried to ask for his ID but somehow the German word slipped my mind. So i said it in English hoping that he would understand. He didn't.
And after 5 minutes trying to scrape together enough words to explain to him that i didn't receive any letter or know anything about it, i apologised and wanted to close the door on him.
But he insisted that the company had sent a letter and blah, blah, blah.
At that moment it crossed my mind that he could be a fake and was out to rob me. I had watched a programme weeks ago about something similar. Some person rang the doorbell of an old lady and said that there was problems with the water pipes and he had to go into her apartment to fix it. So the lady lets him in and directs him to the kitchen. Meanwhile, his partner in crime is waiting outside and slips inside the apartment and snoops around the bedroom looking for jewellery. And you can imagine what happens next.
So i ask the guy standing in the hallway what he needs to do. And he goes on to explain that there's an antenna in the wall for the TV which he needs to adjust. And then it dawns on me, i remembered when we first moved in, J was fiddling with a wire in the wall because our reception for our TV was bad. And so i assumed that that was what he was talking about.
So what did i do?
Yup, i let the stranger inside my home!
Not like it was much of a consolation but i made sure i closed the front door and that i was only a few steps behind him watching every move he made.
I then went on to apologising that the work room was still in a complete mess with boxes and crap lying all over the place. Hell, if he was going to take anything, he was more than welcome to take the cardboard boxes/newspapers away.
And then he opened the black suitcase.
I could see a small television screen inside and beside it were some buttons. He then attaches the cable that runs through the wall to it before fiddling with some knobs. Which was also around the time that i decided to bust out my camera and take photos of him. And unless he was deaf, i'm very sure he heard me take a few photos of him.
It only took a few minutes before he said, he was done.
And then i asked him to write the name of the company he works for on a piece of paper. Ya know, just in case something did happen i can at least tell the property manager that an electrician from Elektro-Müller came to my home unannounced.
After he left, i watched him walk up the stairs through the peep hole and overhead him talking to somebody upstairs before the door closed.
Slightly relieved that he was telling the truth, i later checked out the antenna that was hidden behind some suitcases. I noticed that there were wires running down into the floorboards and another wire that runs up the wall and disappears into the ceiling.
And wondered, what strange wiring.
Then when J called me later that evening, i told him about my encounter with a stranger.
And let's just say, he wasn't very happy with my decision.
In fact, i think he was a bit upset that i caved and let a stranger inside the home. And even compared me to that of a child accepting candy from a stranger. And then i sort of felt stupid for putting myself and our home at risk.
And then went on to say, what if he was a murderer? Or a rapist?
Oh shit.
He could have been. But lucky for me, he wasn't. I guess one can only learn from ones' mistakes.
So the moral of the story is;
Let me tell you what happened.
So there i was, sitting at my computer and trying to get some work done because a sudden surge of urgency came over me yesterday when i realised another deadline was lurking around the corner.
And then the doorbell rang.
Thinking it couldn't have been the garbage men because i just saw them earlier that morning. And it sure wasn't DHL because i had just ordered some items online hours ago and it would be a miracle if they arrived that quick.
So i crept to the front door and looked out the peep hole.
There was a man in his late 40s, maybe even early 50s standing there with two briefcase-looking bags. One made out of metal and painted red and another faux leather and in black. He didn't look like he was there to sell me anything.
Hallo? Wer ist da?, i said in German.
I opened the door and he went on to explain that he was an electrician and had been asked by our property management to fix the TV connection because our neighbour upstairs on the 4th floor had bad reception.
I tried to ask for his ID but somehow the German word slipped my mind. So i said it in English hoping that he would understand. He didn't.
And after 5 minutes trying to scrape together enough words to explain to him that i didn't receive any letter or know anything about it, i apologised and wanted to close the door on him.
But he insisted that the company had sent a letter and blah, blah, blah.
At that moment it crossed my mind that he could be a fake and was out to rob me. I had watched a programme weeks ago about something similar. Some person rang the doorbell of an old lady and said that there was problems with the water pipes and he had to go into her apartment to fix it. So the lady lets him in and directs him to the kitchen. Meanwhile, his partner in crime is waiting outside and slips inside the apartment and snoops around the bedroom looking for jewellery. And you can imagine what happens next.
So i ask the guy standing in the hallway what he needs to do. And he goes on to explain that there's an antenna in the wall for the TV which he needs to adjust. And then it dawns on me, i remembered when we first moved in, J was fiddling with a wire in the wall because our reception for our TV was bad. And so i assumed that that was what he was talking about.
So what did i do?
Yup, i let the stranger inside my home!
Not like it was much of a consolation but i made sure i closed the front door and that i was only a few steps behind him watching every move he made.
I then went on to apologising that the work room was still in a complete mess with boxes and crap lying all over the place. Hell, if he was going to take anything, he was more than welcome to take the cardboard boxes/newspapers away.
And then he opened the black suitcase.
I could see a small television screen inside and beside it were some buttons. He then attaches the cable that runs through the wall to it before fiddling with some knobs. Which was also around the time that i decided to bust out my camera and take photos of him. And unless he was deaf, i'm very sure he heard me take a few photos of him.
It only took a few minutes before he said, he was done.
And then i asked him to write the name of the company he works for on a piece of paper. Ya know, just in case something did happen i can at least tell the property manager that an electrician from Elektro-Müller came to my home unannounced.
After he left, i watched him walk up the stairs through the peep hole and overhead him talking to somebody upstairs before the door closed.
Slightly relieved that he was telling the truth, i later checked out the antenna that was hidden behind some suitcases. I noticed that there were wires running down into the floorboards and another wire that runs up the wall and disappears into the ceiling.
And wondered, what strange wiring.
Then when J called me later that evening, i told him about my encounter with a stranger.
And let's just say, he wasn't very happy with my decision.
In fact, i think he was a bit upset that i caved and let a stranger inside the home. And even compared me to that of a child accepting candy from a stranger. And then i sort of felt stupid for putting myself and our home at risk.
And then went on to say, what if he was a murderer? Or a rapist?
Oh shit.
He could have been. But lucky for me, he wasn't. I guess one can only learn from ones' mistakes.
So the moral of the story is;
- From now on, if i don't know you, you ain't coming inside our home. Sorry.
- The word for ID in German is Ausweis. "Haben Sie einen Ausweis?"
- And i repeat: No, means no.
- Enrol and register for another German course.
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