CNF#136..... Hustles of the day.

As I walked through the market, surrounded by stalls selling everything from fresh produce to colourful fabrics. Everywhere was so noisy that I could barely hear what a person was saying.

Women displaying their wares on the floor and tables waiting to be patronized. As I walked, I stopped at a stall selling vegetables, admiring the array of colours and scents. The woman selling the vegetables greeted “My dear, what can I get for you?” She asked.

I chatted with her about the vegetables and she shared stories about her farm. As I was bargaining on the price, other market women joined the conversation. They discussed their struggles everyday from fluctuating prices to unpredictable customers. The other woman in the market joined by saying that sometimes she hardly makes anything for the day but prays to God to provide her daily needs.

The women nodded in understanding, sharing their own stories of resilience. Iya Mide, spoke of her creative ideas. “I make reusable bags from old materials, it's extra income, and it helps the environment.” She added.

The women exchanged ideas, supporting each other with advice and encouragement. I listened, feeling inspired by their determination and resourcefulness.

After their discussions, I asked her to give me the vegetables and I proceeded to buy other things. After getting everything I wanted, l went home. On getting home, I pondered on what the market women were discussing.

This women will leave the house as early as 4am in the morning just to get to the bush market and buy their gods in bulk directly from Farmers. They will spend a considerable amount of time at the bush market and still carry their goods to their stalls to sell. All this in the name of making ends meet.

Hmmm….I shook my head as I tried to empathize with them but I knew deep down that I could never really fully understand their plight.

I recalled the faces of those market women and I remember seeing their wrinkled faces, fingers and arms. Wrinkling caused not from ageing but from tedious labour.

I sighed countlessly. The sense of gratitude filled me. I knew that I was not in that kind of situation.”Would I be able to cope with such tedious and tiring labour?” I asked myself.

I was still pondering on that matter when my phone rang. Bringing it out from my bag, the caller ID read “Jessica”. I quickly received the call and we talked for a while.

She noticed that my voice was down and when she asked, I had no choice but to open up to her.

“Jessy, do you think you can sell fresh vegetables at the market simply to make ends meet?” I asked her.

“Why not if not. There's nothing in it. As long as it puts food on my table and it is a legal occupation then I will do it” she replied with much gusto which amused me.

“Do you know that in order for these women to get their wares to sell, they need to leave home as early as 4am for the bush market,to buy from local farmers and then they would still move down to their various points of sales where their wares will be sold. That sounds like tedious work” I explained to Jessica.

“See who is talking. You sound like this because you were born with a silver spoon. For me, such hustles are nothing. When I was only eight years old, my mum would give me trays of fried fish to hawk round the village so that we could make ends meet”.

“Today, I am doing quite well because I have once passed through tedious work while growing up. My dear, people will do anything just to make ends meet but I don't support cutting corners for that. I believe in hardwork” Jessica finally concluded.

“Hmmmm, sighing again, I finished up the call and went into the kitchen to prepare my meal. This world is indeed not balanced.

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Thank you all for reading.

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