I’ve been meaning to tell this story for a long time. I find it illustrative of a particular trait especially among old ladies in Vienna, that is, their tendency to comment on things one might think were none of their business.
A friend of mine, many years ago now, was waiting for the bus to take her cat (in a pet carrier) to the vet’s. A little old Viennese lady came up to wait, too, and started a conversation–something that almost never happens in Vienna unless you have a pet with you. The conversation took place in German and went something like this:
Little old Viennese lady (LOVL): Dog or cat?
My friend (MF), with a big smile: Cat.
LOVL: Boy or girl? (In Viennese dialect: Bub oder Mäderl?)
MF: Boy.
LOVL: How old is he?
MF: Six months.
LOVL: Castrated?
MF: [!?!?!?!?!] No! He’s too young!
LOVL: My dear woman, it is high time!
ecbinvienna 
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