Shoplifting in Malta

                                             

                         Scots--A Forgiving Supermarket

                  

Last Friday night, I was minding my own business at Scots Supermarket in Sliema, getting ready to pay for my Haagen Dasz Belgium Chocolate,  when I noticed something a little strange happening at the pay counter.  It was all in Maltese, but I figured it out.

 

The cashier was pulling items out of an older woman’s shoulder bag, and the woman was paying for them one by one.  The woman kept putting her head in her hands—as if the effort was exhausting.

 

But everything was quiet. There was no commotion, no voices raised, nobody was called over.   When the transaction was completed, the next in line paid for their stuff.  The women at the counters started motioning and talking to each other—and that clued me in that something was awry.

 

When it was my turn to pay, I asked the young woman at the register if the older lady had been stealing the items.  She said yes, and then I asked her why she didn’t call the police.

 

She said it was the woman’s first time.

 

Wow…in my mind I compared that to the scene that would have ensued at an American supermarket.

 

I learned two things Friday night.  Maltese society gives people a break.  I think it has something to do with the fact that the Maltese care for their own people—even when they do something wrong.

 

The other thing I learned is that I can get my Belgium Chocolate for free next week—but only once.

Comments

[Sennuwy (an ancient Egyptian name)]

Hey--all my chocoholic friends--I almost got cured tonight. I was watching the Travel Channel and they had on a show about food from the Philippines. A favorite breakfast dish is a fried fish--complete with head and scales and eyes--on top of bed of rice and CHOCOLATE. What an image....

[Sennuwy (an ancient Egyptian name)]

Hi Alexandra--welcome back and thanks for all the delicious info about the goodies here in Malta--as if I needed to know! And thanks, also, for the EFL info. Appreciate it and I'll be in touch---Ilene

[Alexandra Claes]

Just a short note: for those who love chocolate of the Belgian variety there is a pub on the promenade in Sliema that sells the best ravjul (as I have recently discovered from a trip last month) and "Duvel" beer at prices so low I don't know how they do it. They also sell other varieties of Belgian beer, but for those who love a good kick, this is the one for you.

I can't remember the name of the pub, but it is down from Cara's towards Gzira and opposite a Mexican place on the other corner backing onto The Park Hotel.

My in-laws will be visiting often from Belgium if anyone is interested in some local delights.... :)

Ilene, my cousin is an free lance English teacher and she has plentiful work mainly teaching Europeans from the mainland who are sponsored by their companies in such fields as aviation and economics etc. Her fee does include intensive live-in courses where she provides accommodation and food.Her lessons are from morning to 1am usually for a few weeks. She is out sourced from a company in Malta. Perhaps she may be able to assist you?

I am happy to pass on your private email if you so like.

A

[Sennuwy (an ancient Egyptian name)]

OK, Dee--I'm going for it! And thanks for noticing the point of the post--and for also not being normal---Ilene

[Dee Owen]

Absolutely! We've found here, 'if you see it, buy it' 'cos it you may never see it again! Do you have a big freezer? We had to buy another fridge so we could keep stocked! Forgot to say, what a kind supermarket, and I'm not that normal either!

[Sennuwy (an ancient Egyptian name)]

Hi Dee--thanks! They went dry here for about a month. I thought I would go nuts without IT. Now they got a new shipment in. If I were a normal person, I could buy several and keep them. But...I'm not exactly a normal person when it comes to that stuff....Maybe I'll try. What do you think?

[Dee Owen]

Well, Belgium or Belgian, I don't care if only I could get that countries chocolate here!

[Sennuwy (an ancient Egyptian name)]

Ooooops! My mistake. I just went through the garbage to find the ice cream container--(and believe me, that was no fun, considering there are two days of cat poop on top of it)--and indeed it is Belgian Chocolate and by Haagen Dazs. Please forgive me if I have offended anyone by the error of my ways. My spell check isn't up to par---Ilene

[Sennuwy (an ancient Egyptian name)]

Hi Alexandra, thanks for your interesting question/comment. I'll let Haagen Dasz know....;-)---Ilene

[Alexandra Claes]

"BELGIAN" chocolate is indeed the finest in the world.

Perhaps I'm a little biased since my husband is "Belgian", but I have to say why-oh-why do people insist on saying Belgium this, and Belgium that?

We don't say America ribs, or England pies, or Germany beer, or France cheese, or as the case may be Belgium chocolate.......if it originates in Belgium it is therefore Belgian.