the helplessness factor

One of the interesting things about living here is seeing in what ways this culture is completely different from the culture I grew up in, and trying to figure out how things got to be the way they are. Some of the aspects of the Peruvian culture are negative from my point of view, like not comprehending the function of a line, and others are superior to my culture, like endless tolerance and not being obsessed with possessions.

Well the latest thing I've discovered and since confirmed again and again is this: If you go into a store and ask for something, and they're not sure what you're talking about, instead of engaging their brains to meet you half way, their face turns to a blank, and they say, in their most apologetic voice, "I'm all out." I really thought for a long time that they knew what I was talking about and were honestly out! So did they sometime agree that this was the appropriate response or how do they all react so consistently? These are the questions that keep me up at night.