The Search for High Value Items

Once the notice of expulsion was finally accepted by the Asian community, the massive task of preparations began. This little episode deals with some reactions of my mother-in-law. We rushed to the shops to buy something that everyone would need – suitcases! On arriving at the main shop on Kampala Road, we soon realised that the best suitcases and travel bags had already gone. We wanted to buy the most expensive items in order to use up our stocks of Ugandan shillings. Then, while looking at the less attractive items on sale, we noticed that the prices had been hiked to unacceptable levels. Worthless items of travelling gear had been priced to generate ridiculously high profit margins for the shops. In fact, everyone was unusually looking for the most expensive stock to use up their money rather than leaving it behind.

 We picked up some suitcases, essentially made of pressed cardboard with horrible green and brown colour patterns that reminded one of a terminally ill crocodile if that is indeed the pattern was aimed to show. It was a fake crocodile skin ‘pattern’ but somehow the owner of the skin had not taken care of his health! My mother-in-law reached out for the suitcase and then, while slowly beginning to accept the inevitable, she asked how much it cost. “Two thousand shillings, Ma Ji” replied the retailer with immense respect for the elderly lady. “What, two thousand shillings? How dare you call me Ma Ji?” The retailer was surprised but quickly resumed the sale. My mother-in-law wanted to know how much profit he was making from each sale. She was annoyed that this man was making money out of people’s misery. “So, what are you going to do with all the profit?” she asked. She wanted to know if he was going to take with him to his next life. I urged her to make up her mind so that I could pay up and leave. However, she still had one more question for the shop keeper “How the hell are you going to get the money out of the country, you rotten soul?” she asked. The shop keeper burst out laughing, “Ma ji, we are Gujarati traders, we know how to get our money out. We are not Sardarjis; we know our business” he confirmed. Mother-in-law had had enough. “Let us go and have a look somewhere else”, she commanded and walked out.

Of course the same thing happened in the next shop and the one after that - prices had shot through the roof as the traders realised that once their stock was sold, they would also be leaving!