Tuesday, April 24, 2007

The New Chicken Lady Likes Me

Since I had to find a new place to buy chickens, I've been trying several places around town. But for the last few times I've bought chickens, I've bought them from a lady in the covered stalls just outside of the San Juan de Dios Mercado. Today, when I walked up she was waiting on someone else but she nodded and said, "Buenas Dias."

I have a difficult time understanding any of what some people tell me in Spanish, especially if they are from some of the villages. The Chicken Lady runs her words together and so for the most part we use hand signals on how I want my chicken cut up because I don't get any of what she tells me or asks me. And she doesn't get much of my Spanish either. Today she was telling me something and I wasn't getting it. There was another Mexican woman waiting for her turn so the Chicken Lady told her something to tell me in English.

What she wanted me to know was that her chickens were very fresh each day but it was hot now. She told me to take my chicken home, wash it carefully and immediately put it in the freezer or refrigerator. She did not want me to get sick. I smiled at her and told her I would be very careful and wash the chicken and I thanked her for her advice. I think that now I'm really a regular customer, maybe one of the few gringa customers she has at the San Juan Mercado, and she is taking care of me.

Her advice is well taken because I've heard of several people recently who have had salmonella. It is hot, dry and dusty and you do need to be careful.

1 comment:

T said...

there are regions that is difficult to understand us too (between mexican people)