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Dream job

I spent the first few years in Germany working in an office on an American base where all my work was done by hand. When the base closed in 1993 I had two problems - one was my rather basic German and I also had no idea what windows, excel etc. were. So I decided to look for work as a waitress.One day I was in a restaurant with a friend and an aquaintance of hers. This lady was older and of a serious disposition. She asked me what I would do when the base closed, and I answered: 'I'll work as a Tischdame.' She gave me a black look and asked me if I knew what a Tischdame was. I said: 'Yes, a waitress.' Unfortunately not quite. A Tischdame is, in fact, something like a lapdancer. I had seen ads in the paper and translated it as 'table lady' which I thought was a logical translation for 'waitress'. I knew the words Kellner and Ober for 'waiter', and Kellnerin for 'waitress', so I thought that this was just another word. I was glad that we had had that conversation and that I hadn't rung any of the phone numbers.

Editor's note: Tischdame normally means 'partner at the table' which is always the lady on the right hand side of the gentleman. But certain places seem to provide such a partner.

Sent by: Deirdre

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