Bus Adventures, Speaking Swedish, and the Elderly

So today the Minis (both girls) and I went to the market to pick up a few things.....milk, bread, ham, cheese.....the Swedish essentials really.  Since The International took the car today, we rode the bus and used his bus pass.  No problems, easy ride there....found everything we needed with no preschool tantrums....able to get our bags in the stroller with both Minis in their seats.....even caught the bus back home at the right time with just a few minutes' wait.  So KT, I hear you say, where is the adventure?  Well friends, let me explain.....

While we were waiting on our bus home, also at the bus stop were 2 elderly persons...one man, one woman, maybe about 70 years old.  The little man was talking and talking and TALKING to the lady.  I figured they were together because he was talking and talking and TALKING.  Um, no.  When the bus came, she could not get away from him fast enough.  And, of course, since I had the stroller and the Minis I got on at the middle door.  But I wasn't safe......here he comes with his little cart, straight towards me.  Uh-oh.  I looked at him and in broken Swedish said, "Jag betala" (I need to pay).  He just stares at me.  So I take out my bus pass and repeat myself.  So he points to the space beside the Minis to park his cart.  Okay, I think, whatever.  Hopefully he will sit down.  Um, no.  He stays put with his cart.  At this point I know it is going to get interesting.  So I scan my bus pass and come back.  He is already trying to start a conversation with The Belle.  Great.  She is just staring at him like he is a nut (which I'm pretty sure he was, but I digress).  And when I get back, he starts to talk to me.  So I just straight up look at him and say, "Jag talar engelska. Mycket svenskt litet. Förlåt" (I speak English.  Very little Swedish.  Sorry).  However, he is not deterred.  He proceeds to have a one-sided convo with me for the rest of the bus ride.  But the best part of all of this was when The Belle looked up at me, pointed at him, and said, "Mama, he has a boo-boo on his face!" (which he did).  I started to laugh......so I looked away and saw a 20-something girl sitting behind us and she was laughing too.  Good times. 

So the moral of our story today?  Old people don't care if you don't speak their language, they just want to talk.  Apparently.  At least that's what I got out of today's adventure.  That, and a great laugh.....