Adventures with Indian customers at JCPenney

My aunt works part-time at JCPenney. She likes to tell us stories about the customers she encounters. Her least favorite type of customer is the crazy Desi, who comes straight off a plane from India.

Crazy Desi customers usually shop in large family-groups. There is always a white-haired Dadi wearing a sequined sari and a bald Dada with bad hearing. They rarely speak English and love to exclaim loudly in Gujarati about the price and availability of things. If they do speak English, it's only to try to haggle with a store clerk, or inquire loudly about prices. If they see a clearance shelf marked "$2 And Up", they assume everything is $2. When they are told it isn't, they argue.

There are sometimes a few Aunties, also dressed in saris, with red bindis and frizzy hair tied back in a braid. They speak heavily accented English and smell like frying oil. They usually get stuck by the jewelry section. They like talking about other customers- and employees- in Hindi. My aunt deals with them by taking off her nametag, walking up to them, and asking in Hindi if they need any help. They are usually astonished. She doesn't look Indian.

Otherwise, there is a husband and wife, dressed in cheaply made American clothes, talking in accented English. There are ALWAYS at least two toddlers in strollers and Disney clothes, running wild and climbing on everything, screaming, "Amma! Amma!"

The worst is when a pack of Aunties walking in with a poor teenager. They always take her to either the childrens' section or the petites' section and pick out the cheapest and worst-fitting clothes to make her try, while constantly criticizing her.

Next time you go to the mall... watch out.

This is not meant to be offensive. My entire family is Indian, and no one-that I know of- has ever done any of this.