Never assume, always make certain. Otherwise you might find yourself in the same situation that this boss did.
There's a pernicious assumption that people who speak English as a second language aren't as smart as everyone else. There have been studies showing that people think this way about ESL folks. But in reality, speaking multiple languages shows that you're really bright. After all, if you aren't speaking in your first language, you kind of have to translate everything people are saying to you in real time. Then you also have to translate your own response. This can be completely exhausting to do all the time. And then people also want to think you're not smart because of the way you speak? It's frustrating to say the least.
This guy's dad had a great story about his own malicious compliance. The OP, u/semiTnuP, writes that their dad was a hard worker who spoke English and almost no Italian, but his boss spoke only Italian and couldn't speak much English. You can already see where the issues arise, right? Scroll down to read about the way this story played out---and see who you think is in the right here.
Next, this customer had a few choice words for the blanket maker they tried to commission.
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