sri lankan service

Dried fish and lentils are often bought from a small grocery shop on the roadside in a village. These little shops may also sell tea, savoury snacks, clothes and sarongs. The goods are wrapped in the village newspaper and tied up with a tiny string.

When we bought something, the young girl serving at the stall usually offered a little bit of information and advice – she would tell you who had been buying her goods and what was freshest. She would then wrap the goods in newspaper and tie them up with string.

In the Western world such service would be a luxury, but for us it wasn’t – everyone wanted their purchases in plastic bags and self-service. Progress is inevitable, but I hope it stays the old-fashioned way in my village.