Yusef, the Helpful Hardware Man

Among the hundreds of shop owners in the Zomba market is Yusef, a young Muslim hardware salesman. His tiny shop, with its variety of nuts and bolts, locks and lightbulbs, is near one of the main entrances to the market. He may not stock everything you would find in a big box store, but Yusef always presents himeslf as friendly and helpful. We have missed him a time or two when he was at noon prayers, but generally he sees us as soon as we enter the market. In fact, he is practically unavoidable.

Once we came in a different entrance, and we thought we had made it past him without being noticed, then suddenly, he was behind us saying, ""What are you looking for?" George answered, "We need copper wire to hang a mirror." The words were hardly out of his mouth when Yusef was walking away saying, "Wait here." Zip, around a corner, and he was out of sight.

What were we to do? We felt kind of obligated  to stand watch over his little shop. After all, the young man was being so helpful. Five minutes later, he presented  us a coil of coopper wire, saying, "For you, a good price. 800 Kwacha." George said, "No. That's too much. 500 Kwacha."   Yusef counters, "700 Kwacha." We pay Yusef, then a few minutes later, we realize the wire cost us twice what it would have been if we had found it ourselves.

Ok. We're paying attention now. On our next trip to the market, up popped Yusef asking if he can help us.  "I can't tell you what I want, said George, " because you will charge me twice as much as the shop around the corner. No thank you. I will go and find it myself."  Yusef answered, "Georgie, I know you very good. If I give it you at 500 Kwacha, next time you say 200 Kwacha." Then he laughed.