Erstmal zu Penny

The supermarket Penny is the budget supermarket for those on a tight budget. Their slogan is 'Erstmal zu Penny' which means it's the first port of call for the sensible German shopper. In my experience, it's also the the first port of call for the clinically insane German shopper. Hopefully, there isn't something in the food there.

I was in line at the counter with a carton of milk, a bag of apples and toilet paper (irrelevant but true).

I had placed my basket in the stack by the gum rack before emptying the contents onto the conveyor belt. Before I had grabbed the milk out of the basket, the tiny Indian woman behind me put her basket on top of mine.

I didn't need to say anything. She saw that her basket didn't fit snugly in the one underneath. She lifted it up and I grabbed my milk quickly out of the way. She smiled sheepishly and apologised. No problem, I insisted.

This brief moment, it seems, broke the ice between us. Unfortunately, waiting behind that ice was the Atlantic Ocean.

I have never heard anyone talk so much nonsense and at such speed. And in German! I smiled awkwardly at first, searching for a response and waiting in vain to get a word in. But I soon didn't care. I just nodded. Then I ignored her and bagged my shopping. She turned her attention to the man behind her. And she was still waffling audibly as I escaped out the door.