Market life ‘sweet’ for vendor

Vendor Angela Greene laying out her produce in the Cheapside Market. Greene has been a market vendor for 22 years and she has not regretted the day she made the decision to become one.

By Anesta Henry | Wed, January 18, 2012 - 11:00 AM

Life as a market vendor can be described as an interesting and unique experience.

That is what Angela Greene would tell you when speaking about her 22 years in the market.

But when it is time to “get down to Bajan talk” she explains that “everything does happen in the market. People does come to buy them fruits and vegetables and yuh does hear some of this and that body business. Fuh me, though, being a vendor help me to send school and support my five children, and I love it.”

Greene, this week’s WEDNESDAY WOMAN, says she does not regret the day she started her life as a market vendor.

How did she start selling fresh fruits and vegetables, listening to elderly women in nearby stalls either talking about their lives growing up or listening to yard fowls “cackle” as they lay eggs whilst waiting to be sold?

“I wasn’t working and I had a kitchen garden, so I used to drive around my neighbourhood and sell things from that garden. Then an old lady who was soon to retire from selling in the market asked me to come in the market.

“At first I was reluctant because I used to hear that the market slow and you don’t get much money because nobody does come in the market. All negatives you used to hear about the market. But then my boyfriend tell me, ‘Go ahead and try it and if you don’t like it you could always stop’.”

Greene’s job as a market vendor got into full swing from then. She became a student to her old lady friend who taught her the tricks to the trade, which included “teaching me how to cut banana, where to gather ground provisions, how to set out the items on the tray. . . .”

And it is evident that the 49-year-old loves her daily living.

“I just love to get up and come to the market. You see everybody and hear everything about everybody business in the market. I have customers who I look forward to seeing. I know that I am going to see this body on Monday and then I look out for this body on Tuesday.”

“And then on Saturdays you can’t stop seeing people. I could turn down my pot and wait for certain people to come because when them come I know I got something to put in the saucepan. I really appreciate and love my customers who support me over the years.”

While speaking to the MIDWEEK NATION and tending to customers, Greene said that she had noticed that “old ones (veteran vendors) die off and young ones coming on”.

She said that “most people now when they lose their job they turn to the ground and start selling provisions or something else”.

But she warned that “when you outside looking in, it is different to when you inside looking out”.

“If you get into it, then you would know if it is money to be made and if you can live. But if you are going to get into being a vendor you have to like it to stop in it. Don’t come and do it because you have nothing else to do. In this job your hands always dirty.”

“On Sundays when you dealing with the bananas your hands dirty and stained. Monday you going and dig potato – your hands muddy and stained again. Then Tuesday you got to be shelling the peas. Then when you wash your hand, it all white.

“Market life sweet, though!”