Shela* Shrimp Shakedown

View from our deck (the Peugot place):



Four days ago, we asked our landlord, Hamid, if he knew where we could buy some fresh prawns. Keep in mind, there are no grocery stores; just tiny general stores that don't often have freezers - just small fridges for water and drinks. Hamid said he'd put out the word to the "middlemen" in the fish business and told us that a pound would cost about 700-800 shilling (approx 8$).

No luck. There have been no rains, thus the shrimp boats haven't come to island. Stocks are low. However, on Lamu island, when the word gets out that you're looking for something, people find you...

Leaving the pad yesterday, I was met at the bottom of our stairs by a toothless local who asked if we wanted fresh fish or oysters. I said no; however, I was interested in FRESH prawns. His eyes lit up - yes, he could get fresh prawns from the fishermen. My eyes lit up: How much for a half pound? At this point, the story becomes less romantic:

Toothless Fish Middleman: 400 shillings.
DW, eager purchaser: Great.
TFM: I'll get. 500 shillings.
DW: 500? You said 400.
TFM: No, 500. I go get. Give me shillings.
DW: Where will you get them?
TFM: Fishermen over there (he points). Near Peponi. Cleaning. I go get.
DW: I have only 1000 shillings. I'll wait here for you.
TFM: Give shillings. No problem. Noooo problem.
DW: Well, it is a problem. I need 500 shillings. Do you have change?
TFM: No problem. Give 1000. No problem. Bring prawns.
DW: I need change. 500 shillings.
TFM: (takes out wallet and pulls out 100 shillings) No problem. Bring prawns 30 minutes.
DW: I'll be here and wait.
TFM: No problem. 30 minutes.
DW: 30 minutes? At 11:45 (pointing to my watch)?
TFM: Yes, 30 minutes. At 6:30. Give shillings. No problem.
DW: 6:30? That's in seven hours. You said 30 minutes.
TFM: Yes, 30 minutes. 6:30. No problem.
DW: Well, is it 30 minutes, or 6:30? I need my money. That's in 7 hours.
TFM: 30 minutes. 5:30.
DW: Well, is it 6:30 or 5:30. I can't give you 1000 shillings. I don't know you.
TFM: 30 minutes. No problem.
DW: This conversation is a problem. What we have here is failure to communicate (naturally, this cultural reference was lost on him, but it was for my own sanity).

This continued a bit till we went downstairs to the landlord's to find someone who could translate. Hamid's wife played the role and I explained to her the problem. In the end, he promised to bring the FRESH prawns in half an hour.

So I went about my business, and got home for noon. At 1:40, he arrived carrying "not half-pound - 200 grams" (I don't know what that means, but I'm sure it's not a half-pound). I took the bag, which seemed to smell, and could't be bothered to discuss anymore. He then asked me for 150 shillings for having done the delivery. Annoyed, I gave it to him; after all, he had provided the service, unsolicited. Then, he said he wanted another 50 shillings for water. That was it. I told him "Goodbye and thank you!" He smiled and asked me, "Tomorrow, you want fish or oysters." I couldn't be bothered to explain that I don't like either; it wouldn't have changed the line of questioning. So I told him we were leaving the island.

I opened the small bag of what I thought were jumbo prawns, for which I had overpaid. I found frozen, smelly, shrimp - tiny ones; needless to say, they were not clean, nor were they fresh. I spent the next 40 minutes cleaning them, stewing in my anger...

*Shela, for those of you who sent me a note, is a very small town about three kilometers from Lamu town. It is where the rich and famous come to buy cheap homes and plots of land. Like the Peugots (our neighbours)...

Lamu link

View from from Manda island of the Shela beach, site of my daily pilgrimmage: