edenland: Street Talk: The Two People At The Checkout

Friday, 16 August 2013

Street Talk: The Two People At The Checkout

Last week as I was standing in line at the checkout buying healthy snacks for the movies, I was behind a man who was buying a big bunch of flowers.

I always watch people - what they look like, how they behave, who I think they might be. As he got to the cashier, I noticed something was going on ..... they were looking at each other with kind of quizzical looks on their faces. Finally, one of them spoke first - I can't remember who.

They then launched into a really excited, animated discussion. Even though I had absolutely no idea what the hell they were saying, it was awesome. I wondered if the language was Indian, but it didn't sound like it. They kept asking each other questions and laughing and smiling at each other.

And you know what? It was fucking beautiful. I get so sick of seeing the same old rampant bullshit racism in this country from people. Watching two people from a different culture connect over a transaction was really lovely and inspiring. The man peeled off the price tag on his flowers. I wondered who he was going to give them to.

The cashier bid him a farewell in English and he responded in kind.

So then it was my turn with my stuff and she smiles at me and beeped them through silently. I couldn't help myself.

"What language were you two just talking? It sounded beautiful."

She smiled and told me that it was Nepalese, and they had worked out that they both came from the same region.

I wish I had something else to say to her but I couldn't think of anything except,

"Well, it sounded so beautiful. English is boring."

She laughed and we said goodbye and she moved on to the next customer.