.png)
Anyway! I strategically select the supermarket in the hopes of getting in and out. Anyone that lives in Haiti knows that going to market is an event. For this is where the whos who come after church in their hats and the attitudes to match. It's where the zillions of aid workers come to do their weekly shopping- I always get behind the one shopping for the Base, Grrrr! Dare I digress. Getting champagne...
I pull into the now bustling parking lot. An armed security guard has allowed the two cars in front of me to go ahead, but then signals me to go to the lower deck. I ignore said request because I am wearing heels, and I am CERTAIN he would not expect me to walk back up a concrete ramp in them. I make it up the hill, and yet another guard is telling me to go to the other Lot. I lower my window and ask if there is somewhere I can park as I will be in and out. He shakes his head and shoos me away. Hhhmm. Now I lean in, and tilt my head so, and lower my voice as telling him a secret just between he and I. I bat my eyelashes just so, and then I ask again. He looks, smiles and then signals me to a quiet little spot right by the door. BINGO!
I run inside and it is crazy! I make a beeline for the alcohol aisle. This is when it gets good. In Haiti I find brands that I truly have no idea what they are, this hold true again with alcohol. So as my eyes are starting to glaze over at the choices, I peak my head out of the aisle and signal the closest person who looked like he would know something about champagne. He says, "Yes I can help, I own a restaurant." BINGO! This man goes into selecting, educating and some more. So funny he was the first person I summoned. I thanked him and told him he was sent, a blessing.
NOW Checkout! The lines, mwen pa bezwen di'w- no words. I get on the shortest I could find, but kept staking out the others, lol. There are 4 people in front of me, an elderly couple with wayyy too many things and moving wwwaayy to slow- sorry, truth. They go, another guy passes. He doesn't look friendly. Rule #1: You must quickly and accurately assess your target. The next guy is about to start unloading his things and I quickly step and ask him if I can go before him since I only have the one item. (see section above with security guard #2 as to steps ; ) And yes you guessed it, BINGO! I thank him and move up. Mean guy is still completing his transaction, but seems to be short 3 gourdes (Haitian currency). I keep a change purse and was very happy to give him the missing money. He thanked me several times and seemed so surprise. I then paid and turned around and thanked the brother who had allowed me to spend an unheard of 5mins on a check out line with the same sincerity as the last guy. I go outside to my car and the security guard startles me by throwing up his hands at me. He then says, "I finally have a customer who actually told the truth and honestly came right back!" I just smiled and raised up my bottle of champagne and I was off to brunch.
Thanks to all the people that made my getting to brunch a delightful journey. (Thanks Lori and Jenny)!! HM
0 comments:
Post a Comment