Purple

Ive had my eye on this stall around the corner for a few weeks now. Behind the counter, the help are wearing purple outfits and serving up something thats apparently pretty special.But what have they got that the purple-dressed workers at other snack stalls, say this one about 20 feet further along the road, dont have? I guess I could have gotten in the line to find out. But instead, I waited for the woman in the plaid coat to finish her purchase and turn toward me.Excuse me, what are they selling here? I asked her in my best Chinese.

She didnt hesitate. Purple blah-blah-blah, I think she answered.

Is it good to eat? Duh, I thought. I guess thats obvious.

I dont know. She shrugged. This is the first time Ive tried it. And then she stepped further away from the crowd, reached into her sack, and pulled up a purple box. Try it, she said, opening the box.

Oh no, thank you, I just wanted to know what theyre selling. I shook my head.

Lai, lai, come on, she insisted.

Ni tai keqi le, you are too polite, I replied, and started to back away. But she really insisted, and so I stuck my hand in and took a pinch of steamed purple yam coated in sesame seeds and popped it in my mouth. Delicious. I said so.

Take more, she said, gesturing. I was afraid she was going to give me the whole box.

Thanks so much, I said, But I will get in line! . And I did.

There are, of course, no photos of this exchange and thats a good thing. Im sure my face was about the color of the yam.

But every time Im nonplussed by someone pushing to get past me last week, a woman tried to shove her way into my toilet stall before I was out of it Im gonna have to remember that there are also people who will invite a nosy stranger to stick her grubby hand into their food and share.