Embarrassing Times at the Pazar

The time has arrived. The sun is shining, the air is warm, and CHERRIES HAVE ARRIVED ON THE SCENE.  Yes, I am a cherry lover. I could eat them all day/everyday and I found it tragic how expensive they were in the U.S. I was never turned off though, and would pay the high prices for my cherry fix. 

Well, today is Pazar day ("open air market in our neighborhood" day) and I had a sneaking suspicion there would be loads of cherries for sale. As I got things together for Eli and I to go out to the Pazar I realized that the stroller was in the car with Zach. No stroller + Eli + Pazar = risky. Oh well, I was willing to risk it for these cherries. 

Things started beautifully. We strolled for a bit comparing prices and then approached the seller with the best looking cherries.  I asked for a kilo...he asked for 4 lira (approx. $2.50)...done deal. We also bought some strawberries and then left to stroll some more. Of course Eli and I couldn't wait to sample the cherries so we walked, we tasted, and we walked some more. I had Eli on one hip, my purse over my shoulder, and two kilos of fruit in my hand (you can see this is about to get bad, can't you?). As Eli struggled to get into the cherry bag for more cherries, and I struggled to stop him, the cherries went flying! My glorious cherries toppled to the ground. GASP! I stood frozen for a moment thinking of the hundreds of feet that had trod that ground earlier in the day. As Eli stood repeating "Uh oh mommy. Uh oh mommy," I took a moment to weigh the cultural sensitivity factor of picking my cherries up from the ground. Turks are sensitive when it comes to outside dirt. They are repulsed by someone wearing outdoor shoes inside. They are constantly scrubbing their balconies, and sweeping their sidewalks. Certainly they wouldn't eat food from the ground, right?  "Oh dear...I don't care...I'm not leaving here without those cherries," I thought. And there, in the middle of the Pazar, as Eli and others watched, I gathered my cherries.

Mortified, I made a quick escape.  I regretted my decision all the way up the sidewalk and into our building. It wasn't until I was in the kitchen enjoying a bowl full of cherries (following a good washing of course) that I knew I had no regrets.