One Friday I asked my house help to buy me six eggs for the weekend.
Usually she washes them, puts them in the fridge and leaves the change on the table.
On Saturday I realized there were only four eggs and no change, so on Monday I asked her what happened.
There was a long story about eggs being hard to find these days but finally she had got them for 400 TSH an egg.
Until then I’d paid 300 TSH each so with a note of 2000 TSH, I assumed there would be six eggs and change of 200 TSH.
I explained she could’ve gotten five eggs for the new price — or bring back change of 400 TSH.
She just said it wasn’t there.
I asked my house help to buy me six eggs for the weekend … What really happened we will never know.
She’s a smart young lady so I couldn’t get my head around it. I sent her back to the shop where she was told she had run off without waiting for change.
The explanation for the price increase was that costs of life in general and the shop in particular had risen, from electricity to chicken food to taxes. No negotiation possible.
However, the shopkeeper offered to take back the eggs and gave her a 2000 TSH note refund.
Imagine, the eggs had already been in my fridge for three days — returning them was not an option.
I told her the issue was not about eggs but trust: in our house she’d better just let me know if things don’t add up.
Especially when spending my money, change should be checked. She agreed and that was settled.
What really happened we will never know.
Maybe she took home three eggs that day or the seller is cheating.
But in the end I got my change and from now on eggs cost me 400 TSH.
