Getting too much help on the way to work.

So… I managed to get off the bus at the wrong stop on my way to work today. Classic me reading books in the bus, and these bone conduction headphones are not doing miracles if you are not paying any attention to the environment. Anyway, “ah nice, here we go again, a walk in the chaos of Berlin…”

I take about two steps when a German woman asks me (in German) if I need help. My German is terrible, but I understood enough to know she was being kind, not pushy or grabbing, so I thought: why not, let’s go for it.

I should also mention: I was coming straight from the gym, wearing my absolutely not-Bank-employee clothes, I change when I arrive at the office. So honestly, I don’t blame her for being skeptical later when I said “I am going to Deutsche Bank, I am working there.” We walk together and she actually knows how to guide well. Then she says something I don’t understand… until I catch the words “mein Bruder ist blind,” which probably means something like “my brother is also blind.” Ah, okay — that explains why she was good at assisting. Already feeling optimistic.

Now we get close to the office… and here comes the fun part. The building I work in has no Deutsche Bank sign on it. The tall building right next to it does have the sign, but my building doesn’t.

So with my broken German I try: “There are two Deutsche Banks here… one big, one small. I go to the small one.” She immediately: “No, no, no. Only one Deutsche Bank. The next one is 2 km away.”

And honestly — how do you argue with that? With my German? I don’t think so 😂 So… I just accepted the extra walk to the wrong building.

We go inside, and she asks if I need the ATM. I’m like: “No, no, thank you, I’m good.” She goes: “Okay, then the cashier!” Alright… let’s go to the cashier then.

She leaves, and the woman at the desk asks me: “What do you need?” Me: “If I tell you that I wanted the other Deutsche Bank building, but the person helping me didn’t believe me, will you believe me?” She laughed and brought me to the correct building.

How do you deal with people who think they know exactly where you want to go? Most of the time, I just thank them and head my own way the moment it becomes clear they do not get it. But sometimes, like today, you end up being guided into a small side-quest.

Still, I always try to be kind. Maybe next time that person will help someone else who really needs it, and I don’t want to be the reason they hesitate.