OLE

If you've traveled on public transportation in Europe, you may have experienced an OLE. Of course, an OLE can happen almost anywhere -- the grocery store, the park, minding your own business walking down the street -- but it seems to occur more frequently on public transportation. An OLE (that is, Old Lady Encounter) is an event where an elderly lady tells you -- often if a very loud voice -- that you're doing something completely wrong. Of course, these occur in the U.S. as well, but it's always a bit more traumatic when you're being scolded loudly in a foreign tongue. An OLE may occur because you're standing when you should be sitting, or sitting when you should be standing, or because you've opened a window and let a "draft" in, or because you're not wearing a scarf when it's cold outside, or you're drinking something you shouldn't (more on this later). The possibilities are endless. I know there are many of you out there who have experienced an OLE. Last week Brian and I had our first encounter with an old lady on the u-bahn, but fortunately, it was quite pleasant. It went a little something like this:

Brian and I are sitting on the u-bahn heading into town when an old woman comes and sits across from us. After a few moments, the women draws several hard candies from her bag and offers one to each of us.
OL: something in German that I don't remember (or didn't understand)
me (waving my hand, kindly, in the international symbol for "no"): nein, danke (no, thanks)
OL: sicher? (sure?)
me (still smiling and waving): nein, danke
OL (holding both of the candies out to me): für später (for later)
me (taking the candies and placing them in my bag): OK, danke

It was at that moment that I realized what she was offering. Ricola -- generally used (in the U.S., at least) as a cough drop. Not necessarily my idea of candy, but they came in very handy later on when I had a cough.