Tomato? No thanks, I'm a non-medic vegetarian...

This past weekend when I was hauling my arse up and down the Main Street during the market I encountered yet another person that left me giggling and bewildered.

I was standing by one of the counters that sold marinated olives, tomatoes and various Olive oil bottles, and to be honest; I was practically drooling over all the yum yums. I know, it's not attractive and also not something a beautiful size 0 would do but since I'm neither - never mind and a little saliva has never killed anyone. I think.

I was standing there when this guy who was, judging by his accent, a local lad. I listened in because of his inability to pronounce "t" and it is something I find...interesting. Well, not inability as such, I am sure he's capable but as I said some parts of this city clearly find it to be a waste of time pronouncing certain letters when communicating.

Anyway, he goes "Wha' sor' of mea' is dah'? Neve' saw no'ing like i' bfor'."*

I think; "Jeez" and "Are you kidding me?" and not to mention; "I have got to move back to civilisation, fast!"

The guy is pointing towards sun-dried tomatoes! Despite the container being clearly labelled and that nothing else remotely resembles meat of any sort, this guy is convinced that it is in fact some weird foreign meat until the man selling it kindly points out that is is not meat but tomatoes and then offer the guy to try it. The guy is not amused and says that he'd "never fockin' ea' dah' to save 'is fockin' laif..."** He shudders a bit as if to emphasise how repulsing he find the offer and walks off.

I walk the other way, giggling to myself. The giggling is probably some kind of reaction of disbelief. Would I be as equally paranoid and thinking that people would try to get me to eat weird things by saying it's a tomato or celery? Gosh, I hope not and I do think that the possibility of that guy trying sun-dried tomatoes with his baked beans on toast is very slim. In fact, I think an ice-lolly has a better chance of surviving the Dakar Rally on the back of a bike. Or me at a dinner full of medics, although I wouldn't melt, I'd carve my heart out with my glasses before the end of the first speech... "And then I noticed that the other attending had written medulla oblongata with one 'l' in this poor chaps journal...harf harf harf!! Cheers to Doctors passing their GCSE's in English, harf harf harf!"

God, please give me more friends who are not medics but who are aware of sun-dried tomatoes. I promise I'll be good, no more swearing, no more taking your name in vain and no premarital sex! Hmm, no - forget the last one...


*"What sort of meat is that? I've never seen anything like it before!"
**"I'd rather not try it,ever. But thank you for offering."