Styles of Dating..

Yesterday, I walked into a store and was looking out for one of my favourite items.
Spotted it.
Happy.
And I picked few up quite a few of them. Oh, I remembered we must always look at the expiry date and so I did.

Oh dear …

It read “Best Before 12 01 2008”.

Me (to the store attendant) : 小姐，这个好像是过期了。

I wasn’t hostile and I was using my nicest of tone. I decided to tell them so that they could remove the items and perhaps can avoid a possible food-scare.

I actually stirred up quite a bit of panic.

The lady I’d spoken to, ran to the lady boss. Obviously, the lady boss was more into account than inventory. She had only the slightest idea about what was going on in the store. But she was concerned and she went to the gentleman boss immediately. The gentleman boss was concerned but tried to defend by saying : “It is impossible. These goods just arrived yesterday.”

He looked at the item and was very puzzled. The item looked new, but the printed expiry date only suggested otherwise. The lady boss was also suggesting to him “please give them a call and find out”.

When all seemed set that I had done a “good deed”……
The gentleman boss picked up another item of the same brand (that is to say, also from the same company, same origin, but just different product), the expiry date read “Best Before 05 27 2008”.

Argg…
The confusion is just due to the different styles of dating.

American : mm/dd/yy
British (okay lah, the way we are more used to) : dd/mm/yy

I caused an unnecessary panic. Haha…

Paiseh man.
Nevertheless, they still thanked me (a little too much). :$
I was also given 10% discount on the items bought. ;o)

I think I am lucky to bring out the issue in my nicest of tone.
I think it is only good to be polite at any (no matter how unpleasant) situation.
Just imagine if I were to adopt an accusative tone in the beginning!

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Were you surprised to learn that I was going to write about the styles of dating?
Haha.. But I guess you are a little disappointed. It wasn’t the kind of "dating" you have in mind. :P
Spare me. I'm just weak at those mushy mushy thingy. Haha..

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