Q & A

Q. "Oh sorry how long have you been waiting for?"

I ask the woman who was waiting patiently at the counter with her goods..

( as I rush in the front door after chatting too long with another
shopkeeper further down the road about the wonders of chinese herbs.)

A. "Well I was looking for a pen to write a note,
I was going to leave the money with a note!!"

"What an honest little village we live in.." and I smile at her.

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Q. "What do you suggest for people
coming off coffee?" asked R. while looking
across at C. who looked to the left, to the right
to the floor, then to me..

A." Dandelion tea,
but not too much of it.
Green tea, for the caffeine hit
and warm water cause," I answer looking at C.,
"Coffee is often a huge
part of peoples constitution
and when you go off it,
your system can respond by going, 'Ahhh, constipated!'..."

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Q."Do you stock Tiger Balm?" asks the young woman
in red soccer uniform and matching red cheeks.

A. "Well no, we used to but now we have other things,
is it the heat you're after?"

A." Oh you know, cramps from soccer" she says,
rubbing her exposed leg and smiling.

A. "Well you can use 'MAG PHOS" cream,
rub it in then use a hot water bottle.
Magnesium Phosphate is great for cramps,
usually you take it but we also have it as a cream.
It doesn't contain Camphor which is what tiger balm is."

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Q. " Do you have any unsalted butter? asks Rmn,
who is 9, has a joker smile and whom I adore.

A. "Why yes I do", and I reach up to the top shelf in the fridge
to get it for him.

Q." Whatya makin' Rmn?

A. "Chocolate Mousse!"
Q."How much is 100 grams?"

A. "Bout this much," I show him
marking the butter to where about 100gms would be.

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Q."When is the tea house going to be open?"

A."We're getting there, but really, who knows-but it will open!"

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Q." What time do youse guys close love,
I left me wallet with me old man and
I really need to get some of the yoghurt its good for me gut you know,
you got any spoons?"


A." 5.30 today Hun, cause its sunday. " I smile
as I watch out for the customer
as she often bangs into everything there is to bang into,
due to the fact her eyes are only half open,
due to the fact the supplements she takes are not the ones sold in a shop..

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Q. " Is that little sock on your key ring from Chileo?" I ask a woman
as I hand her her change.

A." Yes it is, I just arrived back after working there for a year....
Q. How do you know about Chileo?" ( an Island off Chile)

A. "Oh a woman who used to work here also went there to work,
It just looks so beautiful,
all those painted houses in the fishing villages.."

"Yes its is great, I had no spanish and even if I did
they speak so differently from the mainland. They
are so resourceful and very poor..You know, its amazing
How much you can learn, with no language, from the poor..."

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