The Metro Mall

Every day on the Metro, I have an opportunity to buy something. This morning it was socks, and this evening it was sheets of stickers and Koranic tracts. It’s quite interesting. Peddlers get on the car, and sell their things in one of two ways.

The women usually have bags of stuff and shout out what they are selling as they slowly make their way down the car. I’ve seen socks, hair thingys and other accessories, make-up, galibeyas (kind of like mumus), and plastic table covers.

The other vendors are boys or teenagers, who walk down the train and put something in everyone’s (or almost everyone’s) hand or lap. They sometimes skip people who are sleeping or reading, but sometimes not. They sell things like sheets of stickers, religious tracts, or other random little things. Usually they skip me, and I felt quite blended in the first time they gave me something. It was a bracelet-type thing made from hematite (that black, shiny stone). I think it was a prayer rope, like a rosary, because I saw the girl across from me counting the beads.

What strikes me as strange, is that people buy things! The woman this morning must have sold about 30 or more pairs of socks while we were standing there. I think they were 5 pairs for 10 pounds, or 2 ½ pounds each.

I have yet to buy anything, but if something strikes my fancy, I’m not hesitating!