Street Vendors

Sweet Potato Guy

I was sitting in Arabic class today when a loud voice from the street below began yelling. The students looked around at each other, but still tried to maintain their concentration. The man continued his shouts until finally the teacher looked at us and said, "Don't you want to know what he's saying?"

We all laughed and said, "YES!" She smiled and told us that he was selling roasted sweet potatoes. One student from the US (not me though) said, "Well, he comes on my street at 7:30 in the morning! Who needs a potato that early?!"

We discussed for a more few minutes the different types of vendors. That made me think about the ones in our neighborhood. Each one has his own distinct method of attracting attention from those within the walls of all the high rise buildings.

The "Tea Man" pushes a wooden cart with 4 silver urns full of steaming tea. He has an assistant that takes two trash can lids and bangs them together to let people know that it's tea time. Interested customers will walk to the wagon or motion for tea to be brought to their work station. They sip their tea in glasses served on a saucer. Once they're finished they nod to the vendor and he sends his assistant to come get the empty containers. (All this before consumables were uncool.)

The "Junk Guy" is fairly high tech. He has a PA system attached to his wagon. I'm not quite sure how it's powered, but what he doesn't have in wattage he makes up for in distortion. He will speak into his handset and announce that he's coming through the neighborhood. If you happen to have old items that you wish to be rid of, he will take them. Most of the time you would just give your stuff to him, but some might hold out for a dollar or two. He has less routine hours than the "Tea Man." He seems to prefer collecting stuff just as I close my eyes or right before I'm ready to open them.

The "Egg Sandwich Guy" and "Basket Man" are our fairly quiet sellers on the street. They pretty much know that people will come to them. I have no beef with these guys. 

Finally, "Propane Pal" is a fast-moving vendor who rides a bicycle. Attached to the bike is a holder that will keep four propane tanks secure as he whizzes through traffic. In order to let people know he's coming through the neighborhood he will take a long metal spoon and beat one of the tanks, "Bang, bang, bang, bang, bang, bang, bang!" I wouldn't mind this so much if he and "Junk Guy" would coordinate their schedules, but sadly they do not. So the "Junk Guy" roams early and late while "Propane Pal" will come mid-day, holidays and middle-of-the-night emergencies.

As a business person, I admire their assertiveness and consistency in promoting their wares. As a neighbor trying to get some sleep...well, there just might be a wire cut and spoon missing when they least expect it.