Like Banging Your Head Against A Wooden Pallet

Me: “Could you tell me to find wooden pellets?”

Worker: “In the timber section.”

Me: “Really?”

Worker: “How many do you want?”

Me: “A bag.”

Worker: “A… bag?”

Me: “Yeah, a bag of wood pellets. About this big.”

The worker just gives me a blank look.

Me: “They’re like… pellets… of wood. This big.”

It’s clearly not computing for the worker. Then, it dawns on me.

Me: “Oh… You think I mean wood pallets. No, I want wood pellets. In a bag.”

They’re pronounced exactly the same way in New Zealand. The worker is clearly still confused. I see a random customer.

Me: “Can you help? She thinks I want a wood pallet, but I want wood pellets.”

Random Customer: “Oh, yeah, they’re over in the section down there.”

The worker is still confused.

Me: “Look, totally a genuine mistake to make. I mean, they’re called the exact same thing. Thanks!”

I think that worker is still confused about what the h*** I was on about.