Triumphs and Falls!

Well, yesterday was feria (farmers market) day. It is held every Thursday morning in the town of Salinas. I walked from my house there, pulling behind me my little wheeled wire cart (bought at that same marketplace, now years ago) I went to my usual booths and bought my weekly supply of vegetables and goods and It was nice.

  One elderly couple, I saw at the feria called me over and asked if my husband was house bound and sick? I said no, that he went to the States because his mother had passed away etc... They said they had wondered at not seeing him around. This couple was selling some odds and ends at the feria. They had a little table set up in the "garage sale" portion. An area, leading up to the professional vendors.  

The man showed me a plant with a small pink flower on it and said, That I should get some. He said that at their house these plants have grown really large. He seemed to be pushing his plant. So I finally asked, How much? or "Cuanto cuesta?"  Then he said, "Oh, no!" I should just come by their house and freely dig some plants up at no cost!  See how nice and caring people are down here! Here, he was selling, a  little rusted coffee can with the plant in it at the feria, yet, I was to go to his house and freely dig up some plants for free! I joked that I didn't want them to call the police on me if they see me digging in their yard! They just laughed!

Now, if I only knew, WHO they were and WHERE they lived? I'd be just fine!!!                                                                                                 

I am just not used to so many new people in my life, so unlike the states, where some neighbors have no interaction at all! I will now be on the look out for this couple again! 

As I was wandering around the market, a member from my church, "a brother" (as we call each other) was going about his business at a house way down the block and he wildly waved at me until he got my attention, just so he could shout Hola! (Hi!), to me! He is Hector and he works at Ancap. He was delivering a garrafa (tank of supergas) to a customer. I now seem to be a fixture in town interacting with people on a daily basis and despite my still limited Spanish speaking skills, I feel we (husband included) really belong here.

After the feria, I went to pay our electric bill and saw an other older couple of the barrio (neighborhood), lamenting at the closure of that restaurant up the street from us. I added my "Qué lástima", that it had closed down and they went on talking to me on how somebody should seize the opportunity and buy the place. The wife thought a tea salon or social club would be nice for the neighborhood and the husband kept saying that he wanted a casino there!

Well, they reached their house and pointed me up the street towards the Abitab's direction. As, I turned one more time to wave good-bye (proud that I had had, a successful conversation with them in Spanish) I tripped and completely fell down, flat on my face, even though I braced myself with my hands! They came running up to me and asked if I was okay? I said yes, but I had bumped my head. They said, "I should put ice on it". I said, "I would, when I got home". After that, I continued to Abitad and payed my bill. Then, I went to the corner store and bought some milk. There I told everyone that I had fallen down and now had  a knot above my eye. Luisa, a dear friend of mine (Carolina's mother) happened to just come into that same store right then and I told her all about it. Everyone asked, if I had been riding a bike (my next big challenge to relearn how). I said, no That I was just talking and walking backward like a Tonto (fool) Then, I could feel my eye getting bigger/swollen. I told Luisa that I was going to skip the congregation meeting that night (why have people wondering).

A side note, remember the TV show "The Lone Ranger" and his side kick Tonto? Who knew? That name means FOOL in Spanish? Think of all the law suits that show would have caused today, when everything is so politically incorrect!   

At least, My fall was on a Thursday and not today on Friday the 13th! So no, superstitions can be accredited to my fall. An interesting thing to note is that in many Latin American countries It's Tuesday the 13th and not Friday that people fuse about! So me falling on a Thursday debunks any bad coincidences. Needless to say, on waking up this morning, I now have an official black eye or should I say, red eye! I was going to call this post Triumphs and Falls! Because the day had started out so well language wise, with me interacting and talking with the people of my community in my newly adopted tongue. Now I know, don't walk and talk Spanish at the same time!

 I've decided to show a picture of the bruise. 

It doesn't hurt, however, it's just interesting how a little fall can cause such a shiner!

I have decided to stay indoors all day today! I'll just huddled up and open up tomorrow on Saturday. I don't want people to think I was beaten up, besides I had a busy day yesterday full of triumphs and alas, a fall!