Conversations in a Market Place

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Home
My aunt: You have been sitting around all day. Go to the market and get some fruit with Nidhi .
Me: I should get my camera.
My aunt : You need to get a husband.
Every Other Living Relative and Those No Longer With Us, as One: Word.
End scene


Market
Random Woman : Why are you taking photos?
Me: Erm.
RW : Seriously, why?
Me : No reason, I think.
RW : What I mean to say is, will these photos appear in a newspaper or something?
Me: God, no. Nothing like that. These photos will stay on my computer. For me alone.
RW: Are you Marwari¹?
Me: Yes.
RW: I could totally tell, from your face. And possibly the fact that you didn't understand my simple Bengali. . So where do you stay? Where are you from?
Me, pouncing on a passing Nidhi like a drowning man: And exit stage right! I must go.
Me: I totally made a friend, did you see? I think she wanted to invite me over for dinner. I was totally able to understand every other sentence, but really, we had a connection.
Nidhi: Do you like corn?
End scene

Outside Market :
Nidhi : I need to buy this. How much, etc.
Nearby vendor: You promised you would buy American corn from me?
Nidhi: I got it inside. Next time.

End scene

In Car
Me : So, was that guy calling his corn American to try to sell it to me?
Nidhi: What?
Me: You know, American corn for an American girl? At American prices?
Nidhi : No, no, didi, that particular corn is actually called American corn.
Me: Yep. I knew that. Am not self absorbed.
End scene


1. My people are originally from Marwar, a region of Rajasthan in the west of India. Marwaris are known as strong business people, and seriously good with money (cheap). An old joke goes: "How does one make wire? Give a Bihari and a Marwari a penny."

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