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The original was posted on /r/maliciouscompliance by /u/SometimesDaniel on 2024-02-10 21:08:57.

Not a very dramatic story, but I enjoyed it so… Also my first time posting in this subreddit.

I work as an over-the-phone interpreter, (yes, I understand using an interpreter is annoying but our job is literally to help people out, so be patient with us) and I just got this call where the English speaker (let’s call him Ken) seemed to be in a rush and was already losing his patience. And of course, I was paying the price. Ken was asking a very specific question and the Spanish speaker (let’s call him BP for “buena persona”) was giving a very general answer. Ken was also at times speaking in very broken Spanish to BP and was getting more and more frustrated because José was not giving him a more detailed answer. After I translated another general answer from BP, Ken just said: “I don’t need you to translate what he is saying, I just need blah blah blah”.

Cue Malicious Compliance.

Not 1 minute later, BP gives him a different, but still general answer. Silence. A minute goes by and nothing. Eventually, Ken asks in a frustrated and upset tone: “Interpreter, what did BP say? I need you to work with me on this” So I answered: “This is the interpreter, I am sorry agent but you asked me not to translate what BP was saying, that is why I didn’t say anything”. Silence again.

I just added that from that moment on I was just going to translate everything both parties were saying. Ken also quit his attitude and his BS after that.

Not a very satisfying story, but it was my own MC and it felt good. Have a nice day everybody!