The fruit ladies turf war

It would have been handy to be forewarned about the unspoken rule that applies to buying fruit from the fruit ladies.

The rule is “the first lady that you agree to buy from becomes your permanent supplier”.  Sounds like a drug war.  It is a war of sorts, more like turf war.

Our first day here a lady whom we later learnt was Lily approached us to buy “fresh pineapple, fresh watermelon, banana, papaya” all this offered in her sing song voice (like all the fruit ladies singing for their supper) anyway we said not today maybe tomorrow. 

The next day on the beach we buy our plate of fruit for $1.80.  There we were sitting on our sun beds enjoying our fruit and a shadow appears, we look up and there is Lily, hands on hips and scowling.  She is not happy.  She starts telling us off saying we agreed to buy from her yesterday.  Jim and I are not sure what is going on because she is ranting and difficult to understand.  Abdul, the sun bed man comes along and explains the unspoken rule.  Oh!!!!!! I apologise to Lily for not knowing how it works. 

Now we have a situation as Shimna, the other fruit lady whom we bought from wants to be our supplier as well.  I say they will have to share.  We will buy from Lily one day and Shimna the next.  They agree, reluctantly. 

Lily is short and a rolypoly and loves to cuddle me to her bosom.  Shimna is taller and lean, not so demonstrative.  She likes to shake hands.  It is quite funny how they mark you as their territory, at least they don't pee on us.  

The high tourist season is coming to an end so the amount of tourists is few and each lady is fighting for their bit of turf.  Both Lily and Shimna say this summer has been quiet and with the monsoon fast approaching, May through to August their income is non-existent.  It is a hard life.  I am so thankful I wasn’t born a fruit lady from Kerala. 

A fruit lady heading up the beach at the start of the day - the lifesaver also in the photo