Shopping at the Local Hypermarket
I heard a scream. It seems, meandering about in my usual daze on my way to purchase a loaf of bread, I had wandered into a prohibited zone. I was taking my usual, direct route to the hypermarket. Barriers had been erected to keep vehicles out of the zone, but as an absent-minded pedestrian, the narrow passages had presented no obstacle. Only now the security guard had a large problem, since he could be blamed should anything happen to me. Hence the scream.
Between me and the guard was a plastic, 'Do Not Cross' tape barrier, intended to stop pedestrians from entering the zone from the area in front of the hypermarket, but only vehicular barriers had been put on on the opposite side of the zone, through which I had entered. The guard thoughtfully held the tape up so I could exit the zone. He looked very relieved.
The hypermarket used to have a large, decorative metal grillwork above the entrance. For reasons which escape me, this grillwork is being removed today. It is being taken down in large chunks, but then the chunks are being cut apart with an oxy-acetylene torch so they can be easily hauled away. Anyone who imagines that the worker wielding the torch was wearing any sort of eye protection hasn't spent much time in the Gulf. If the sparks don't get him, the UV will. Pity he won't get any disability benefits or tax deductions.
I made my way into the hypermarket and purchased my loaf of bread when I thought I heard a Brit. asking for tempura. The store clerk was very helpful, though he had no idea what the word 'tempura' meant. He took the lady to the cleaning materials section and showed her some washing up liquid and some paper products. 'Tempura,' she said, very slowly, but to no avail. 'This way,' I said, and showed her the tempura. 'Do you know how to use this?' But she had now exceeded my limits. 'Oh, it says to mix it with water.' And she headed for the checkout counter.
As did I.
Between me and the guard was a plastic, 'Do Not Cross' tape barrier, intended to stop pedestrians from entering the zone from the area in front of the hypermarket, but only vehicular barriers had been put on on the opposite side of the zone, through which I had entered. The guard thoughtfully held the tape up so I could exit the zone. He looked very relieved.
The hypermarket used to have a large, decorative metal grillwork above the entrance. For reasons which escape me, this grillwork is being removed today. It is being taken down in large chunks, but then the chunks are being cut apart with an oxy-acetylene torch so they can be easily hauled away. Anyone who imagines that the worker wielding the torch was wearing any sort of eye protection hasn't spent much time in the Gulf. If the sparks don't get him, the UV will. Pity he won't get any disability benefits or tax deductions.
I made my way into the hypermarket and purchased my loaf of bread when I thought I heard a Brit. asking for tempura. The store clerk was very helpful, though he had no idea what the word 'tempura' meant. He took the lady to the cleaning materials section and showed her some washing up liquid and some paper products. 'Tempura,' she said, very slowly, but to no avail. 'This way,' I said, and showed her the tempura. 'Do you know how to use this?' But she had now exceeded my limits. 'Oh, it says to mix it with water.' And she headed for the checkout counter.
As did I.
posted by Dubai@Random at 7:56 pm
2 Comments:
Do you often follow brits searching for tempura? Or only the ones looking for the packet mixes?
If I see anyone who looks lost, I offer directions. Usually wrong, as my own sense of direction is hopeless, but I hope maybe next time they'll learn to read a map.
I've been known to offer directions (with limited success, and only when asked) to mono-lingual Arabic speakers and Urdu speakers.
But when I hear a Western accent in distress, that's usually enough that I'll volunteer, as I did on this occasion.
And, quite unusually for me, I actually knew where the tempura was.
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