can also can

Can? Can! 

At the stall at the pop up bazaar,

my yet to be husband pauses with his friends,

unsure whether to pick up the item,

when the shop aunty says it all in 2 lines: 

Can also can cannot also can

He and his friends look at her,

unsure if fight or flight, or shop(?)

is the correct response ...

Her smile tells them it's okay,

She repeats with a languid wave- 

Can also...can! 

Cannot also..can!

They laugh in relief

as decoding clicks

and they are sold

to the item, the aunty, 

this language of economy - 

if you want it, that's fine

if you don't it, that's also fine

okay can! 

#jemstones #spwm23 #spwm23day3 #Singlish #opentocrit