I
do not like Markets, I do not like them because they are always crowded with
people and I’m claustrophobic in nature. I do not like marketplaces
particularly because they are noisy as a result of the never ending multitude
of women haggling and in haggling; they seem to always feel the need to raise
their voices thereby giving me a headache. I detest the marketplace, for the
reason that they are messy and they stink, you can literally perceive the foul stench of damaged tomatoes and pepper,
frozen food, which are not frozen anymore due to unstable
electricity and rotten fish {oh and I hate fish too!} Ultimately,
from this overview I'm sure I have very well established my abhorrence for the Marketplace
and its activities.
As a result of my “Market-Phobia”, I always found a means of escape from my mom when it was time for one of those visits to the market, at times I would feign sleep, other times I would just lock myself up in my room and she would knock on my door till she is weary and mildly frustrated from knocking at a door that won’t open itself, and on some of my defiant and petulant days, I would tell her that I just don’t want to go. Random fact about my mom is that she loves to cook, she’s a caterer and so that kinda explains her love for the kitchen and its’ activities. So with ones’ love for cooking also comes love for shopping for the ingredients to cook with… right???
On this very fateful day, my luck had run out as I happened to be in the car with my mom while coming back from an event, and she decided to stop at the market, “Egbeda Market” precisely to buy food stuff, that day she got me good! All the same I still had to try so I grumbled something about being sleepy, when I said it; I knew that I sounded pathetic, and unbelievable. It was a weak attempt really; Mother saw through my act and just gave me this look, her face full of amusement and told me to “come on! Will I jump out of the car and help her out?” then she added that I better wipe the sleep off because we would still have to cook dinner together.
Our first stop was the dried fish section, as stated earlier, I do not like Fish, they stink so badly and they make your mouth stink as well after eating but all the same we had to shop for some stinky Titus fish! After that we went to the "Eleran" section of the market to purchase Cow meat. As we approached the tables of the men who butchered and sold animals for a living, shouts of "auntie mi!” “Mama!" or "my customer!" filled the air. I was amused because I'm sure my Mom didn't purchase meat from each and every one of them which left me wondering where the show off love and familiarity was really coming from.
Readers, you know the most fascinating thing about following my mother to the market? I'll tell you, It is all about watching her price Meat or other "price-able stuff'" because I know there are certain stuff you can't price however, the ones you can price, My God! Trust my beloved Mother to cut down prices in half or less than half. It gets so bad to the point where I start to feel sorry for the traders who are trying to make ends meet. After being told that a particular price of meat was 4000 Naira, my mother picked the Slab of Meat up, turned it up and down and scrutinized it with so much disdain, apparently this is another trick used by buyers to tell sellers that their merchandise is not all that and they would rather buy elsewhere thereby causing the seller to reduce the price or give out a discount.
After the meat inspection, she proceeded to inform the Meat seller that she would not be paying more than 1500 Naira for that piece of Meat, according to her after all, it was all bony, and few flesh. At the mention of that price, I indignantly just exclaimed "Ah Mommy!” Mother glared at me and told me in my local dialect to shut up so that she could get a good bargain, in her words, money wasn't easy to come by and when i had my own family, i should take a cue from her bargaining Prowess.
I was already frustrated about staying too long in the market and then there was also the paranoia that I would smell of stinky fish or meat by the time we were done, so I just wanted her to pay the Man the Money he asked for because we had the money and more.
I left the Market impressed with my Mom because in-spite of the Meat seller's objections, resistance and in the end, profuse begging, Mother was assertive and unwavering, and consequently we ended up paying 1500 Naira for a big juicy piece of Meat.
I learnt that day Prudence, Resolution and the art of Bargaining from my Mom, and it don't matter the level of your buoyancy, you should still try to cut down prices, because prices are not always what they seem.
Your
naive Friend,
Peace
Oshoko.
