Sometime around December, late in the month, my mum and I had gone to the market to buy foodstuff and some essentials for the house. We usually do this every once a month or once in two months and get things in bulk.
Image is mine
So, we arrived the market and went to one of her customers from whole we got rice and beans. We left the items there and began to walk towards the onion section of the market. As we passed by this woman who sold oil, my mum had asked the price, I think she said it cost two thousand eight hundred naira for a bottle. My mum then said in evident surprise, "Ah, so no, be two-four again." And you know what? Rather than just say no, that the prices had gone up, just as is a usual reply that any other marketer would give, she rudely said, "Where them de sell two-four again? Una go just come market de price person rubbish. Nobody go sell this kind of better oil like that...," and on we went. Note, my mum hadn't priced at all. My mum stood there, I guess she was waiting for the woman to finish her rant before she would tell her to calm down that she hadn't been to the market in a while. I was pissed already and was already walking off.
Long story short, we went to the woman's neighbor who sold oil too, and she was really warm. We got about four bottles of palm oil and two vegetable oils(we needed four, the woman had just two). I guess the other(first) woman heard our conversation cause as we left the receptive sellers stall to look for somewhere else to get the oil, the first woman called out to us to come and buy from her, that she had groundnut oil. In my mind, i wondered if the woman had forgotten that we were the same people she drove away with her nastiness.
My mum, being the person she is, gave the body language that she would patronize the first woman in spite of the drama earlier, and I just told her, "No try am o. Make we de go." I looked at the first woman briefly and walked away. Na me hold all the money na so my mum had no option but to follow behind me.
It's not like my money would change the woman's life, I know, but selling is why she's out there. And frankly, I saw no reason for the rudeness.
On the other hand, I've had so many encounters with really nice traders. I remember getting to woman's stall and pointing at what I wanted and giving the description on how i wanted it. She directed me somewhere else, saying that hers wasn't fresh. I was very surprised. Some traders would have sold it to me that way while trying to convince me that the goods only arrived that morning.I was thankful to her. And I always made sure to buy from her whenever I needed something she sold. Honesty is good.
Thanks for gracing this post.
Greetings!
