Day 12 continued:                    The hard sell.

Kieran turns round from the front of the car to make his point seriously.

‘Mem, I will take you to the Government Museum shop. You go in, see what you want to buy and look at the price. Don’t buy and I will take you to my cousin’s shop where he will give you a better price for the same things.’

I already know what I want but am happy to follow his instructions and see what else there is. 

I go into an air craft hangar of an emporium. It has everything Kerala makes for tourists and they are very good quality. A number of rooms are overstocked with different goods, three men sit in the shade inside the door chatting to each other. I smile and say, ‘just looking.’ They wave me towards the interior.

I start with wooden carvings, beautiful intricate Buddhas and Ganeshas in different dark and light woods. Sandalwood is now protected but there is a heavy fragrance coming from the room. Turning I notice a smiling man shadowing me. He is tall, mid thirties with melted caramel eyes.

He offers me a cup of scented sweet tea and we talk about the carpets in the next room.

‘Who makes them, not children I hope?’

‘No Mem, I can make carpets.’ He shows me a book of photos full of carpet weavers. ‘They are hand stitched by experts. Just feel the carpet.’ He unfurls one and its colours shimmer on the floor. I bend down to feel, mmm silky.

He kneels in front of me and looks up, ‘kneel down Mem to see closer.’

I laugh, ‘my knees won’t kneel down sorry.’

He pats the carpet, ‘sit down.’

More laughter, ‘I wouldn't be able to get up again.’

‘Please Mem; take off your shoes to feel with your feet.’ I slip off my sandals and it is a lovely soft carpet.

‘Excuse Mem,’ he takes my feet and gently puts my shoes back on managing to quietly squeeze my calf at the same time. I think, he’s flirting with me but I'm 70 years old. This is interesting.

We move on to the next room. Lovely jewellery, lots of intricate gold and silver. Some marcasite set with turquoise, bracelets, necklaces and ear rings. Again fascinating but I don’t want to buy any.

‘Try them on Mem.’ ‘No thank you.’ ‘But you are so beautiful they will make you happy.’

‘I don’t think so.’

‘Yes Mem, beautiful smile and very young on the inside, this necklace is right for you.’ I can’t help laughing and he laughs too, enjoying himself.

He looks down at me, ‘I love your smiling eyes; I wish you would come to my house.’ There’s no polite answer to that so I move into the next room. It is full of silks, saris and pashminas.’

‘Try one on Mem.’ 

‘I am going back by plane, no room in my suitcase.’ 

‘We will post it to you. We can send carpets as well by post.’ ‘They will remind you of me and Kerala, I can see you have been happy here.’

‘I have, it is a lovely country.’

‘And me, I am charming.’ 

‘Yes you certainly are charming.’ I walk towards the door.

‘Mem, Mem you haven’t seen upstairs there is more.’ I hesitate. Oh what harm can it do?

We go up the wooden stairs to another room full of small stone sculptures.

 And there they are. The complete set of Hindu positions from the Karma Sutra, fascinating. Inside my head I would like to go forward and inspect them closely but my 70 years hold back, time to go really.

I smile at him. He says, ‘People enjoying touching,’

I feel like a memsahib out of a 'Passage to India.' 'Well I'm sorry, I must go. I'm going to think about what to buy and come back tomorrow.’

I walk down slowly and towards the door.

‘You will come back?’

‘Yes, tomorrow.’

He takes my hand as we emerge into the afternoon sun. ‘You will come back tomorrow?’

‘Yes.’

‘Because Mem, if you don’t come back my charm hasn't been working.’

‘Oh yes your charm has definitely been working, until tomorrow then.’ I jump into the car and heave a sigh.

‘Kieran, that man could sell the water from his Grannie’s well even if it was dry.’

Kieran doesn’t understand and I have to explain. He laughs. ‘Did you buy anything?’ ‘No.’

Actually, I didn't buy any of it............. but it was tempting. 

We go to the cousin’s shop and after a lot of negotiation I buy two pashminas and some jewellery. He knocks off zillions from his first price and everyone’s honour is satisfied. As Kieran takes me back to the hotel I say, ‘you deserve a big pay off from your cousin, I spent loads of money.’ He grins and agrees. ‘He gives me free shirts and trousers.’ ‘Well so he should.’