Stumped !

It was a sunday morning. I needed some vegetables for lunch, so I went to the nearby vegetable walla who was busy tending to the customers behind his cart of vegetables. He looked hardworking, fresh and charged up, as if today was the day that he had to make a difference to his poor family.

As I was choosing and picking my vegetables in a leisurely fashion as is possible only on a sunday morning, I saw a north indian youth in his early twenties, a young software engineer I would say, also come to get vegetables.( You know - he had the software engg look - the rich, young, disinterested and casual look ? You know what I mean ? )

He looked sleepy and groggy - as if it was such a punishment to be awake at early morning 9 am !

But he needed to render his duties and halfheartedly went about picking up the vegetables he wanted. When at one point, a vegetable caught his eye. He wanted to know the price of it. He racked his brains, searched his memory for a suitable kannada name for the vegetable and when he couldnt find any answer in the upper store - He looked at the vegetable and looked at the vegetable vendor and with a hopeful look on his face, said in hindi- 'Kheera kaisa diya ?'.( How much does the Kheera cost ? ).

The shopkeeper goes blank and expectantly looks at the boy for some clarification to his question.

The boy stamped his foot mentally and seemed to be thinking- 'Damn ! Will start that kannada speaking classes from this week onwards'. But for now, the boy gives it another shot. He looks at the shopkeeper again and asks - 'Kakadi kaisa diya?'( How much does the kakadi cost ? ).

Shopkeeper is a more frustrated and his face goes a little more blank.

Both of them are now in an interlocked helpless gaze.

I could hear all the fun at my back, while I continued picking and choosing my vegetables and went about minding my own business. I was almost feeling sorry for the boy .

The boy scratches his head and irritated that he had to put more awakeness and mind than he had initially planned - he looks at the vegetable vendor helplessly and points at the vegetable and says almost pleadingly- Ye ! Ye Chahiye .. ( I want this vegetable ..)

There was a momentary silence.

And then I suddenly hear the uneducated shopkeeper's voice happily bursting out in clear english-

Oh ! CUCUMBER !!

Cucumber beka ? ( You want cucumber ?) He continues in Kannada.

Heheheheh :) I couldnt control my laugh or keep my stoic composure anymore ! I turn back and laugh looking at the youngster - All the sleep had vanished from his eyes and all he could do is stare at the vegetable vendor :)