Per the prompt, I'll start by sharing my worst encounter with a trader. During my undergraduate days, I moved away from the very expensive and trouble-laden hostels in the school area to rented single-room apartments that are not too close or too far from the school premises.
Back then, the school did not have a general hostel built for students. So investors bought landed properties close to the school gate, built some rooms and leased out to students at ridiculous prices. When I resumed for my first year, I rented one of those single room apartments in the school area. On getting to 300L, I moved.
So when I got to this new area I had to look for a place to buy foodstuffs and ingredients for coming. Alas, there was one woman adjacent to our place who sells those. I was very happy at the discovery because it would save me a lot of stress since the house wasn't close to the main road where those things were sold.
My first encounter with the trader was smooth and enjoyable. She was a woman in her mid to late thirties, married and with kids. She attended to every one of my needs as fast as she could and she did that with absolute respect. Trust me, I was blown away.
When I got home I couldn't stop wondering how someone who was way older than I was could show that level of attentiveness and respect just to sell a couple of goods. Without further ado, she became my go-to for most of my needs. Also, she was easily accessible because her shop was right in front of her house. So whether I got to her shop as early as 6a.m. or as late as 10pm she was always willing to attend to customers. She was like a saviour.
The day it all started going downhill was just like yesterday. I bought some foodstuffs from her and should've been given a particular amount of money as my change. However, she pleaded that she just opened her shop and didn't have any money in her purse, that I should come back in the afternoon for the change.
By the time it was afternoon, I was still busy with so many engagements that I didn't bother going to ask for my change. I had hoped she would be a good person and send the money to me through one of my housemates. But when the third day broke and she was yet to send my money I visited her politely and respectfully, hoping she would just apologize and give me my change.
Surprisingly, she showed a different demeanor. She told me she didn't have my change right then and I will have to wait a while to get it. To avoid that, I used the change to purchase goods from her and she apologized, I was fooled. Unfortunately, this scenario happened again and again till she was owing me a substantial amount
When I couldn't take it anymore and reported her to my housemates, they told me that was her way of doing. It was then that I actually realized none of my housemates buy things from her anymore because she's owing every one of them using that scheme of holding their change. I tried to take drastic measures to get my money but it never worked. She was a skilled operator in that aspect, she had mastered the art of repelling shame.
When I eventually gave up my money, I vowed not to buy things from her and her likes anymore. Since then, once a trader is trying to hold on to my change for more than necessary I instinctively assume she's trying to play that same trick on me. Afterall, once bitten, twice shy!
