As I was waiting for the S-Bahn this evening, along with many other Germans, the train decided not to show up. At first, this wasn't quite clear. It is well-known in Berlin that when the weather gets bad, the trains will sporadically run late or not show up at all. And although it was quite cold today (maybe -2°C), it wasn't raining or snowing, which meant that there was no reason for why this particular train was delayed. Thus people continued to wait. But not without expressing how they felt about the tardiness of the train. People exchanged glares and sighs of frustration, checking their watches every two seconds. That is until the announcer announced (who would've thought!) that the train would be twenty minutes late. As soon as she started to speak, the people around me puffed and huffed and scampered off to leave the platform, obviously angered and annoyed. I could not help but chuckle. 20 minutes late? No big deal; I've waited longer for buses to show up in Berkeley.
I decided to sit down and read in the meantime. A few minutes later, as the platform began to fill out again, the announcer gave us the latest update: "Die Bahn nach Wannsee" would be thirty minutes late. If I thought people were angry before, it was nothing compared to the behavior and reactions of the people then. Many Germans rapidly left, obviously choosing some other mode of transportation. I, on the other hand, was stuck with waiting for the train since my alternative option would have taken the same amount of time, if not longer. So, to ease my boredom, I bought myself a schoko croissant. And as I was about to sit down again, the train finally showed up!
Lesson learned: Punctuality is a trait that is not to be reckoned with in the Fatherland. Tardiness is not accepted. You are either on time, or you are late. No excuses. And if the trains are late, then prepare yourself, because all hell is about to break loose!
On another note, here is what happens when I decide to go grocery shopping:
Two chocolate bars and half a loaf of fresh wheat bread!
And to clog my arteries even more:
Two fried cheese squares for dinner
You only live once, after all.
