This evening after work, I came home and changed, put some shillings and my credit card in my wallet and headed to a nearby mall to buy some more Theraflu-style meds for David.
The pharmacy in the mall was already closed, so I headed to the value-priced grocery store (Uchumi in Kiswahili means "economy/economical") to see if they had anything approaching a cold medicine. Not so much. Having struck out again at Uchumi in terms of finding medicine, I figured I'd buy a few groceries while I was there and then head back. I also needed a top-up (more airtime) for my phone.
When I got to the counter, I realized from experience that they were not going to take my credit card because I didn't bring my ID with me. So, I had to pay in cash. Not thinking much of it, I used most of the cash I had brought, with about 600 shillings left for a taxi home. This is where it all went wrong.
You see, I'm so used to having enough money with me or a credit card that can be used anywhere if I don't have cash, that I went upstairs to the food court and bought some flame grilled chicken, enough for the two of us for dinner. As I waited for them to prepare it, I called the taxi driver and asked him if we could go to a late-night pharmacy. I was feeling proud of myself that I'd be able to come home with medicine and dinner, all at a reasonable hour.
And then, once it was all prepared, they gave me the bill. I was short at least 600 more shillings. Yikes. I told the guy that I had left something downstairs, that I would be right back, and ran down to Uchumi with my groceries.
I took out two non-essential, non-perishable items and my receipt and went to the customer service desk to ask for a refund on the items. After looking at me blankly for a few seconds (I don't think he's had many mzungus approach him trying to return groceries for money), the fellow told me that once a bill has been settled, they don't make adjustments. They could give me store credit? I told him, mostly truthfully, that because I couldn't use my credit card, I used all my cash, and now I wouldn't be able to get home. (The part about getting home was only partially true, I suppose--I know my taxi driver well enough to ask him to drive me home and then wait for me while I ran in and grabbed the cab fare. But I couldn't see going home without paying the restaurant for the food I had ordered, made fresh for me). "It is the only way!" I kept repeating, insistently but hopefully kindly.
So, after telling four other staff members my sad story of not being able to pay cab fare to get home and needing to return my coffee and tea, the fellow finally relented, and gave me the 600 shillings. I thanked him and immediately ran upstairs to the food stall. I was ready to pay and get the heck out of there. I ended up being 60 shillings short. Wow. By this time, I was feeling pretty silly. One of the staff figured out my plight as I looked through my pockets and sifted through the Rwandan change in my wallet. We took out one of the sodas and I was able to leave the mall, with exactly zero shillings in my pocket.
I didn't get the medicine. I didn't have any money to buy it on my way home. But at least the chicken was tasty...
The pharmacy in the mall was already closed, so I headed to the value-priced grocery store (Uchumi in Kiswahili means "economy/economical") to see if they had anything approaching a cold medicine. Not so much. Having struck out again at Uchumi in terms of finding medicine, I figured I'd buy a few groceries while I was there and then head back. I also needed a top-up (more airtime) for my phone.
When I got to the counter, I realized from experience that they were not going to take my credit card because I didn't bring my ID with me. So, I had to pay in cash. Not thinking much of it, I used most of the cash I had brought, with about 600 shillings left for a taxi home. This is where it all went wrong.
You see, I'm so used to having enough money with me or a credit card that can be used anywhere if I don't have cash, that I went upstairs to the food court and bought some flame grilled chicken, enough for the two of us for dinner. As I waited for them to prepare it, I called the taxi driver and asked him if we could go to a late-night pharmacy. I was feeling proud of myself that I'd be able to come home with medicine and dinner, all at a reasonable hour.
And then, once it was all prepared, they gave me the bill. I was short at least 600 more shillings. Yikes. I told the guy that I had left something downstairs, that I would be right back, and ran down to Uchumi with my groceries.
I took out two non-essential, non-perishable items and my receipt and went to the customer service desk to ask for a refund on the items. After looking at me blankly for a few seconds (I don't think he's had many mzungus approach him trying to return groceries for money), the fellow told me that once a bill has been settled, they don't make adjustments. They could give me store credit? I told him, mostly truthfully, that because I couldn't use my credit card, I used all my cash, and now I wouldn't be able to get home. (The part about getting home was only partially true, I suppose--I know my taxi driver well enough to ask him to drive me home and then wait for me while I ran in and grabbed the cab fare. But I couldn't see going home without paying the restaurant for the food I had ordered, made fresh for me). "It is the only way!" I kept repeating, insistently but hopefully kindly.
So, after telling four other staff members my sad story of not being able to pay cab fare to get home and needing to return my coffee and tea, the fellow finally relented, and gave me the 600 shillings. I thanked him and immediately ran upstairs to the food stall. I was ready to pay and get the heck out of there. I ended up being 60 shillings short. Wow. By this time, I was feeling pretty silly. One of the staff figured out my plight as I looked through my pockets and sifted through the Rwandan change in my wallet. We took out one of the sodas and I was able to leave the mall, with exactly zero shillings in my pocket.
I didn't get the medicine. I didn't have any money to buy it on my way home. But at least the chicken was tasty...
1 comment:
Oh Darlene, what a story! Thanks for sharing your embarrassing story with us. I'm enjoying reading along with what you and David post each day.
Love
Emily
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