While at work the other day, I was having some computer problems. I called IT support and a man named Chris answered. He asked me to give him my computer work station ID (so he could know what desktop I was working on). When I spell things out, I usually use the “A” like apple technique.
My work station happens to have the letter “V” in it. So I said, “V” like Vogel, which means bird. For whatever reason I find this word difficult to pronounce (why I chose to use it is beyond me) so I repeated it a few times, “V like Vogel, voooogel, vogeeeel.”
Seems innocent enough right? But when “Vogel” is used as a verb, it is a very crude way to describe, ah-hem, how shall I put it, hopping in the sack? Bumping boots? Doing the wild thing? Basically what I was repeating into the phone was “F***ing” “F***ing” “F***ing”
To make matters worse, Chris the IT guy said that he needed to stop by my office to look at my computer personally. He asked where my office was, and I announced, “On the sixth floor, around the corner, where the three beautiful women sit.”
Surprisingly (or not since he is an IT guy) Chris didn’t crack a smile, but as I was laying the phone down, I heard my two female office mates dying of laughter. One was kind enough to explain what I had actually been saying into the phone and suggested that I use “V” like Viktor in the future.
It ain’t easy being an expat.
hahaha. i can totally relate. we learned words to use when spelling over the phone (prob. for this reason!).