"How
much are those cherries for?"
"2 quids a box, love."
"And tomatoes?"
"A pound for a pound, darling."
I was just a week old in Reading, England, when I went
shopping at a farmers’ market. I was aghast and gawked for a
moment. The prices didn't register....what rang in my ears was the 'darling'
bit. How could he? I gave him a withering
look and moved on to the next stall. 'What do you want, love?' Here too, the
conversation followed the same pattern. I was rattled. Then mercifully, another
lady came along and she got 'loved' and 'darlinged' the same way and so did the
third. None of them took any affront and went right ahead choosing their
cucumbers and tomatoes. So it wasn't just me after all! I stepped back and observed the conversations. I noticed that
'love', 'darling', 'sweetheart' and 'honey' were pouring down as thick and fast
as the English rain. All shopkeepers, whether male or female, addressed their
customers with these affectionate words.
In due time, I got used to the fact that English say these
words in a similar vein as Gujaratis use 'ben'/'bhai' and Kannadigas say ''ma'/'pa'. In fact, 'ben' and 'bhai' are so inherent to Gujarati language that
a husband doesn't bat an eyelid when addressing his wife as a certain 'ben'.
These appendages are just a way of addressing and should be taken with a pinch
of salt. Slowly, I got used to being addressed as 'love' and 'darling' in such
markets and shops and never took them literally. The only grouse I nursed now
was against my husband to whom I complained jokingly that I was called
'darling' and 'honey' much too
often by shopkeepers than by my own husband. This time, it was my
turn to get a withering look!
So if you find yourself on English shores and feel a need
for love, head to a farmers' market where love is always in the air. You will
sure feel loved. There’s a hitch though. Farmers' market happens only on
certain days of the week. If you want love on any other day, you better look
for alternatives.
This post was published as a middle in 'Right in the Middle' section of Deccan Herald.
http://www.deccanherald.com/content/465431/looking-love.html
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