My time with no pay at the market.

If anyone had told me that my Saturday would be so stress filled, I would have dealt such a person a murderous look because Saturdays happen to be my less work day, at least to me.

I am a member of a musical group and this musical group gets invited for one occasion or the other. To look unified as a group that we are, we usually dress in same colour codes or same fabrics. This makes us stand out wherever we visit and also adds a burst of colour to the event. These events could range from weddings, child dedication or even birthday ceremonies as long as we are needed, we will surely be available to deliver.

It so happened that we received an invite to a gig and as is our custom, we began rehearsals in earnest and also plan our dress code for the event. The event would hold on the 20th of this very month and so we felt like we had ample time on our hands. The only point of distress was on the outfit. Majority of the members of the group wanted to purchase a particular new fabric while a few of us wanted a colour code but since we were a "democratic geoup", the majority had the final say. After all deliberations, some amount of money was levied on each member, which would cover the cost of purchasing the clothes for the group and we were given a timeline to pay the money so that the fabric purchase would be made promptly.

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Fast forward to Friday last week, everyone turned up with their money and I was delegated to go to the market to purchase the fabric for the group. Who would have thought that there would be a sharp 100% rise in the price of the fabric as compared to the price earlier given to us by a cloth merchant.

It was no small feat, going fabric shopping at the famous Agbara market in Ogun State. I usually say that shopping ain't easy in my country especially when you are going fabric shopping. I took the money to the market the next day being Saturday and what should have been a one hour activity stretched on for almost four hours. I was incredibly tired with no where to vent.

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The initial cost of the fabric was #2,000 per yard (36 inches) but on arrival at the fabric store, I was told that it was now #3,000 per yard. I probably thought that the fabric store was expensive and so I made the decision to go from one clothes store to another seeking out the fabric I wanted to buy but it was as if there had been a conglomerate meeting amongst all the clothes merchant as all the shops I visited (20 in all) had the same price tag for the fabric I wanted.

I was in a dilemma with no way forward except to report back to the group for additional funds to enable the purchase. I tried calling some executives of the group but I couldn't get through to them. After what seemed like ages (well it was 20mins), I decided to journey back home as I had other engagements ro attend to.

The four hours spent at the market pained me, moreso I was not successful in buying the fabric and yesterday, the entire group finally changed plans and opted to do a same colour code arrangement which was what I had initially suggested from the beginning. They say time is money but no money was paid for my precious four hours used up at the market.

Thanks for reading..shalom

Images used are mine.