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Why the Vendors Outside My Gate Might Sleep Better Than I Do
This morning, after watering the plants in my small garden, I heard it again.
“Goods… your used goods, ma’am…”
The scavenger’s cry floated into the house.
It took me back to my early days in Jakarta, back in the ’90s. The first time I heard that call, I couldn’t stop laughing.
Why did they only address women? Did men never discard or sell their second-hand goods?
It felt so… sexist.
But as the years went by, I started to understand. During the day, most men are at work. If it is a family where both husband and wife work, it’s usually the maid who answers the door. And yes, most maids are women.
It wasn’t sexism. Just pragmatism.
I shouted back to call the scavenger. Then I took the used cardboard boxes from the packages that I had prepared on the porch. By the end of 2024, I had purchased a lot of items through online platforms, ranging from personal care products to groceries.
Aside from the fact that there are numerous discounts, I was also preparing for 2025, which, according to newspapers, television, and social media, has a less promising economic…
