V

AT THE CORNER GROCERY


It is not a very long distance from the Arab coffee-shop where we left our
friend smoking, to the grocer. The streets are very narrow and unless we
are very careful that camel will crowd us to the wall or those water-skins
on the white donkey wet our clothes--see how they drip! Well, one turn
more and here we are. The grocer in the picture on the next page is
leaning on his elbow waiting for a customer. And if he keeps his groceries
as free from flies and ants as he does his spotless white turban we will
buy our day's supplies here. The shops in Arabia are not very large and
they have no place for customers except outside. Sometimes there is a sort
of raised seat or bench on which the purchaser sits when he bargains for
something; but generally you have to stand up outside while the crowds
push and the traffic goes on. One curious custom is that all the shops of
one kind cluster close together in one street or section of the town. You
will see for example in one street a long row of shops where they sell
drugs and perfumery; in another place there are only hardware merchants;
again a whole street of nothing but grocers. I think the reason is that
Arabs love to bargain and to beat down prices and so it is easier to have
all the merchants of one kind close together. At any rate this arrangement
makes it quite convenient for the purchaser. Indeed it is becoming
somewhat customary to group the shops in this way in some of your Western
cities. Occidental civilisation can learn some things from the Orient!

[Illustration: ARAB GROCER.]

Our shopkeeper has a mixed lot of groceries in his shop; many things which