So the other day I was talking to a group of young people about my pet subject, chiwawas and mongrels. I believe that we are becoming weak and fragile both mentally and physically. We have promoted a society of chiwawas who are entitled, overprotected and averse challenges. I advocate for mongrels, those who have been exposed to pain and challenging situations, those who have failed at something and have learnt to adapt, survive and thrive. I am digressing.
In the process of sharing our experiences, one of the young men, Mutiso, told us that he was a hawker. One of the things we were challenging ourselves to do is to expose ourselves to challenging and uncomfortable situations. I asked Mutiso if I could join him at his work one of these fine days. He said it was ok. We agreed to meet the following day at five in the morning. On the fateful day, as I walked to the bus stage, I was having an adrenalin rush, as I thought about the challenging day ahead. There was no human traffic, two dogs started barking and running towards me from behind. When they were close to me, I turned and bent down as if to pick a stone (old trick I learnt growing up in the village). They scampered! I don’t know where I got the confidence. Maybe it was the cup of coffee I had taken. I was ready for the day. Or so I thought.
Lesson #1: Sometimes I’ve got to feign confidence. Ni kujichocha!
I met with Mutiso at Muthurwa at 5.30 a.m. He kept referring to me as “teacher” but really, I was his student. I was about to get schooled by Professor Mutiso. After a brief session on the minimum prices of the items, he gave me some items to carry and immediately started walking and chanting “dawa ya mende, air freshener, ya panya, ya mosquito, dash board cleaner. I was flabbergasted (My primary school English teacher should be proud of me for using that word), Mutua transformed from the very quiet introverted guy I know to a totally different character.
Lesson #2: Don’t not classify people into rigid categories, context plays a huge role in how people behave.
I followed Mutiso for about five minutes without saying a word. I couldn’t bring myself to utter those words. Thoughts were running through my mind, how do I start? What did I get myself into? I can’t do this. Then I forced myself to utter the words, “dawa ya mende, ya panya, air freshener”. We went round the market and by around 7.30 a.m Mutiso had only sold one item. He told me we were now to move to Gikomba market. First we went to some shops at downtown Nairobi and revamped our stock. Crossing from Kamukunji to Gikomba we had to cover our items with sweaters as a disguise to avoid the kanjos arresting us. He told me that when he started hawking, he was arrested so many times until he has learnt to spot and avoid those extortionists.
Lesson # 3: Some things can only be learnt by doing
We went through the maze that is gikomba market chanting “airfreshner, ya mende, ya panya” and by 10.00 a.m Mutiso had sold some items but I hadn’t sold any. I was getting tired and my self esteem was getting a beating. I was distracted; I kept asking myself what would happen if my students saw me? What would happen if I met my relatives? What would they say? I even started crafting a story to tell Mutiso that I had to go home to attend to some emergency. I wanted to quit. At some point one of his customers looked at me with madharau and asked him if he was training me to do the job because I looked timid. Her comments pricked my ego. She was right, I was not giving my all. I hated myself for being mediocre. I had to change tact. It was time to go crazy. I wanted to prove her wrong and impress my boss.
I started shouting like a madman, I even put some flavor in my chanting, air freshener, ya panya, cockroach murrrdererrr. I went on and on until I sold one air freshener for 200 bob. I was so happy I ran to mutiso like a small boy to tell him about my sale. He smiled with approval. That sale fired me up so much I actually wanted to bump into my students or relatives and proudly sell to them. I wanted more. I kept shouting with energy and at some point did a jig and some moon walking moves on the road. A customer called me “wewe panya hebu kuja hapa”, I responded with a smile and sold mtego wa panya to her. Sometimes I went too far in my enthusiasm that I offended a customer when I started explaining to him how the air freshener will help him get laid. He told me to get lost. Some people found my antics hilarious; others looked at me with contempt. But like Hulk Hogan hulking up, I was receiving blows but I kept going.
Lesson #4: If I am selling something. I better be shameless. Keep shouting. Louder.
At noon my energy was depleted, I was worn out. Mutiso said that we should go for lunch. I was happy to go for lunch not because I was hungry but to take a break from the walking. We had lunch for about 20 minutes and then got back to work. As we went round, I got lost several times because Mutiso’s pace was too fast. The guy does not walk but glides swiftly between people and vibandas. The time was moving slowly. We could walk for two hours and then I would check the time and realize that we had only walked twenty minutes. There were like five hours between 2 p.m and 3 p.m. I was getting tired and anxious. I recalled Mutiso had told me that he goes home at 8.p.m. I started doubting if I would make it past five. I needed some motivation. I started begging God to give me one more sale, one last dance. God answered my prayer and I sold one mtego wa panya(the green one with glue for a rat to stick). That sale boosted my morale. I started feeling like I wanted to sell another one. But I did not ask God because I felt guilty that I was becoming greedy.
Lesson #5: Closing a sale is sweet. One is never enough.
At around 5.pm I sold an item for 50 bob to a certain lady who bargained too much. After giving me the money she opened the item and claimed that it was fake. She threw the item at me and demanded her money back. I instinctively told myself “haki ya mungu sitakurudishia hii pesa”. She tried to cause a scene, protested and hurled insults at me but I stood my ground until she gave up and left with the item. I made a couple of more sales after 5 p.m. Then it hit me why Mutiso sells till late in the evening.
Lesson #6: In business every hour counts. I can only make money the day I show up to work. A day off or closing an hour early means less money made.
At around 7.30 p.m Mutiso told me that we were done for the day. I had made a profit of 650 shillings. I was eager to hear his feedback. I am older than him, but I felt like his son. I hoped he was proud of me. He told me he did not think a softie like me could persevere to the end. As a token of appreciation, he gave me several dawa za mende. I told him I only required one, the best one. He then shocked me by confessing that hizi dawa za mende ni kubahatisha. I had earlier seen him dramatically guarantee someone that a particular dawa will cause genocide to cockroaches!
Lesson #7: I don’t have to be sure of what I am selling. But I need to be confident of what I am selling
That night as I was reflecting on the events of the day, I was writhing from pain at my ankle and left ribs. I shuddered at the thought of going through such a day again. But that’s what Mutiso does every day. He keeps pressing repeat. He keeps showing up. He is a real mongrel. I admire his mindset. What if grinded like him? What if I put in 13 hours on my craft every day?
Life is life
Fabio