AT THE MARKET

Ama's father died when she was still a little girl attending Primary School, and so her mother had a hard struggle to keep Ama and her brother Joseph well-dressed and well-fed and to pay their school-fees. Joseph was at a Secondary School, but every holiday he worked to earn money --either on the farm or at the docks. As soon as Ama was old enough to attend Middle School she began to go to the market every evening and at week-end to sell the bread which her  mother baked.
One Saturday morning, Ama was feeling very sad as she took up her usual stand near the entrance to the market. Her mother had not been well for some weeks, but she could not spare the money to buy medicines or to go to a dispenser, and Ama was unhappy to see her growing thinner and more tired-looking. However, being a cleaver girl as well as brave, she knew that customers are not attracted to a gloomy seller, and so she managed to keep a smiling face.
At first she rapidly sold her bread to people who were on their way to work or to the lorry-park as well as to those who were doing their  marketing; but by eleven o'clock sales were less brisk, and she still has a dozen loaves to sell. It was hot and unpleasant  in the busy entrance. Women with laden baskets and pans jostled her as they pushed their way in and out of the market; porters shouldered past her, staggering under the heavy sacks of yams or cassava balanced on their heads. Barking dogs, crying children and shrill voiced market-women all added to the hubbub that made Amas' head ache.
'suddenly a rough-looking driver confronted her and took two of loaves from her tray, handing her a crumpled ten-shilling note to pay for them. Untying the corner of her cloth, Ama tucked the note carefully behind her coins before picking out four two-shilling pieces for the driver's change. She handed them over, and the driver stared at them as they lay on his palm. ''Hey  where's the other ten shillings  he growled, pushing his broad face close to Ama's.  ''come on. I'm in a hurry and I want the change for my pound. ''Oh  but please, sir, ''gasped Ama in   bewilderment, ''you only gave me ten shillings.