Small Victories

So tommorow is the Hungarian Fourth of July, if you will; a gigantic celebration of the 1848 Hungarian Revolution. Our street is festooned with flags, cafes are full, happy crowds are knocking off early from work, businessmen are wearing little red-white-and-green ribbons on their lapels. Riots may be involved tommorow; stay tuned.

I'm celebrating my own small victory: a recent marked improvement in my ability to communicate with the veggie lady. When we first got here I had to point at fruit and mime an amount. Now... (translated from the flawless Hungarian):

Tuesday

SARAH: When close?
VEGGIE LADY: Thursday?
SARAH: No, now day.
VEGGIE LADY: Half seven.
SARAH: Six hours and twenty...uh...thirty?
VEGGIE LADY: Yes.
SARAH: Close Thursday?
VEGGIE LADY: Thursday, Friday, Saturday, Sunday. Open VASHTY VASHTY.
SARAH: Uh...
VEGGIE LADY: VASHTY VASHTY.

Mental lightbulb flickers on.

SARAH: Wednesday. Open Wednesday.
VEGGIE LADY: Yes.
SARAH: 1 kilo tomatoes kindly. Soup!
VEGGIE LADY: (impressed)Tomato soup?
SARAH: Yes!
VEGGIE LADY: VASHTY VASHTY VASHTY VASHTY VASHTY VASHTY. VASHTY VASHTY. One thousand fourteen forint.

Sarah pays.

SARAH: Thank you! Tommorow!
VEGGIE LADY: Tommorow!

Wednesday

VEGGIE LADY: (weighing Sarah's vegetables.) VASHTY VASHTY VASHTY VASHTY soup VASHTYVASHTY?
SARAH: Yesterday soup good!!!
VEGGIE LADY: Good! Anything else?
SARAH: No.
VEGGIE LADY: VASHTYVASHTYVASHTYVASHTY four days VASHTY VASHTY? Four days?
SARAH: Hmmmm...no.
VEGGIE LADY: Good. OK.
SARAH: Thank you! I kiss your hand! Goodbye!