Contributed Article by Irvin Springer: So last week I am walking by the Cathedral when a young guy vending on the wall looks in my direction and says “Fatman, you giving me a sale today.”
Of course I totally ignored him. Yes I know I am fat but to me that’s a disrespectful way to address a potential customer.
Passing back, I see him approaching a well dressed older lady working at a law firm shouting: “Shabs buy something nuh” then makes a comment about her ass when she totally ignores him.
I walked up to the young man, identified myself and told him what I did for a living. He is selling dahls, burgers and cakes in the basket made by his grandmother. I asked how many items has he sold. He responded only 2 as things rough, people not buying.
I asked him – doesn’t he believe his approach more turns off customers rather than attracts them? Instead of addressing people as ‘Fatman’, ‘shabs’, ‘my girl’, ‘coolie boy’ etc why doesn’t he try “good morning sir/madam I am a young entrepreneur can I interest you in some of my products?”
I also advised him that he is selling food so his appearance needs to be improved as he more looks like a drug dealer than a young businessman. He says he understands where I am coming from and will try it out.
So there I am walking away feeling great as I did a good deed for the day, he shouts out “Fatman, you passing to give me a sale tomorrow?”
I give up !!!!
Headline photo: Stock image of Castries Flea market
LOL and sad at the same time.
The title alone is disrespectfully funny. I bawl out. Plus, that was enjoyable to real. The ending was juicy, as if it was supposed to have such a happy ending, but instead, the young vender starts to disrespect the person in the end. I don’t know, it was funny. In a realistic sense, it’s sad. Mate sounds like he’ll do drugs if he doesn’t change his approach
I applaud you sir however your conversation with him didnt sink in. I’m hoping by now he thought it through and will take heed.
I know the older shabin at the law firm. But Irvin wrong to refer to the lady as older eh ….Madam la Jen
Y’all think it’s a joke. But the society as a whole will suffer for leaving the young men of the nation in the gutters while elevating the women.
Laugh still…..
Lol so when does part 2 of the story coming out cause I enjoyed the read.
Lose some weight!
lol , man like fatman in the building
LOL. You should go back next week to see if his approach has changed. Nice of you to give him such good advice though.
Your comment is irrelevant and makes no sense. The focus of the article is not the size or BMI of the author. That’s why the nation will remain behind and not progress. It is because of the mentality and mindset of people like you.
Steups.
You didn’t get my joke. My mindset is definitely not like others lol so whatever you said has nothing to do with me.
@just saying……who exactly is responsible for leaving the young men in the gutter? Is it some of the fathers who don’t raise them? Is it the general lack of positive male role models?……because I will tell you the school system is trying real hard…..
Don’t the young men (who have equal opportunity with young women) need to take up their responsibility? The spiritual war is against the seed.
Young men have been told that to be a man they have to____________________________________________ fill in the blank.
Don’t even try…Some things will never change !! Tha’s just the way it is !! #BlameSociety
I always think if you selling food items you should dress appropriately with your apron and hat. Customers gets attracted to you when you look and act like a professional. Showcase yourself and your product must sell. We need to teach our youths that.
This is not characteristic of young men of today. It is just a display of lack of social skills. It is also true he has a deficit in customer relations. He is definitely in the wrong business.
I Agree with you John Brown. He is definitely in the wrong profession. Most of them are. I’m seeing many of these young men sitting on the sidewalks with a cooler and chairs with their pants under their butt and boxers exposed, un kept and sitting next to their tray with legs outstretched on the sidewalks. Pedestrians have to use the streets to avoid any confrontation with them. Mayor needs to look into this types of city vending.
@Bellicose while I agree with you about the high percentage of absent fathers, and their dereliction of responsibility, it “takes two to tango” and education on birth control (and protection from STDs) for both males and females would not go astray. Really unnecessary to have children with every person you have a “relationship” with, if it can even be called a relationship. It benefits no one, least of all the children, and so the cycle continues… Education and self-respect is the key.
Blame parenting, the home, the family… Not society
Ok so the man not doing a good thing? You would prefer him to be a drug dealer for real? Just buy the man ting gasa food is food what happen to people.
On point Sir !
you see that is the thing about people like you, listen to the comment that you just made food might be food but its your approach to things in life. if this is the approach this guy has then how is he going to excel in anything in life? the Author of this story is giving this Youngman some correction and guidance to allow him to uplift his business and get more sales. you have a small business how do you expect it to grow with that kind of attitude. If only this young man took the advice of the author he could maybe one day do better i dont understand why is it we as people believe that when you have a business you can just do things anyhow and accept things as is. The author never said that the young man was not doing a good thing by selling food and never said that he prefer him to be a drug dealer. He was giving him some advice to better himself and his business in turn. if you were selling food as well your food would never sell as well
The sad reality is that, the majority of St.Lucians are ignorant, and of course the level of ignorance did not happened overnight. For decades, St.Lucia has been plagued with bad governance and very bad parenting.
Interesting article … we have read now that not only you have a fat ass but you are also a mean , cheap fat ass …… you are also pompous ‘ I identified myself to the young man ‘‘ as what a mean , cheap Pompous fat Ass … you eating too much green fig
My cousin use to sell honey. I never bought from him because his face was untidy with beard. His nails were never clean. I spoke to him about it. He never changed. When selling foods, ice cream etc you must be groomed properly. If not you turn people off.
Somewhere, somehow the Nation got lost in detaining that jailhouse culture that seems to be doing more damage to the disenfranchised black boys and men than any other social group.
Definitely society as well, smh at your’ll
We must be patient in our love and commitment. We must remember how God sees us, and how many times he has forgiven us. People are like flowers and take time to bloom. Are we still seeking God’s forgiveness?
Education is the key factor in life
Good structured and it starts at home, from day one, not when we become adults.