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Growing up my grandmother taught me a few words of Serbian but having my generation or my mother's generation learn to speak it was never a big priority for the oldsters. I am convinced that they wanted to be able to talk in front of us without worrying about prying little ears. My Baba never really learned any English. By the time she was a great grandmother I don't think she cared too much what small children had to say. It was sufficient that we understood "Go get my cane." Nevertheless I have been doing my damnedest to communicate in Slovenian. It's not Serbian but it is close enough. My most successful conversation went something like this:

Me: (standing next to the wine in a Slovenian supermarket) Prosim? Gospa?
Sweet little old lady: (eyes me quizzically but says nothing)
Me: (pressing on undeterred) Govorite Anglesko?
SLOL: (seeming to get my drift) Ne.
Me: (holding out a bottle of wine) Slovenja?
SLOL: (makes a reply containing sounds similar to "ja" and "slovenja")
Me: (very encouraged I really go out on a limb) Dobro?
SLOL: (motions I should show her the bottle)

A lovely pantomime follows in which she proceeds to identify both a good white wine and a good red wine for me to take home triumphantly as souvenirs of her lovely country. Having drank the red last night I say again to you Sweet Little Old Lady: Hvala Lepa.

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