Granny thinks back….part twelve

Hello All.

Something on a lighter note today.
Though there are some sad stories to relate.
They can come later.

Our shop was a general dealer.
We sold everything.
Basic foodstuffs, clothing and even African beer.
The latter was a very good seller.

We sold chewing tobacco.
It came in a big roll and I would cut it into little pieces and wrap them in plastic.
Thank God most of the customers did their spitting elsewhere.
My brother came on a visit and watched me cutting it up with interest.
Eventually, he thought he would give it a try.
I found him outside…heaving and spitting up a storm.
I was never tempted to try it.

Most of the customers were darlings but there were the exceptions.
One day I caught an evil bastard picking on a mentally challenged boy .
I jumped over the counter and told him to bugger off.
He pulled out a knife.
And I thought “oh crap”
I couldn’t back off so I told him to go ahead and stab me.
And his mates took him away.
And I shook for a while.

We sold paraffin by the litre, bottle or half a bottle.
The paraffin was kept in a big drum in the store off the shop.
I remember hub one serving a very difficult customer.
She came in and asked for a litre of paraffin.
Giving him a five litre can to put it in.
She bought a couple of other things and then said she only wanted a bottle of paraffin.
Hub went to the back.
Poured out the litre and measured out a bottle.
Brought it back to her.
She looked at her money again and said now she only wanted half a bottle.
He went back to the drum and emptied out the bottle.
Came back and looked at her.
I didn’t know it was physically possible to twist a five litre can into a knot.
Then he told her to leave.
Very sweetly.
And, if you believe that, you will believe anything.