#61 Having a Guy for That

"Seriously, you haven't had Pani Purri in Kolkata until you've been to this guy. It's mind blasting. Oh....you want to go tomorrow? I have a sore throat actually...so I have to go see my Ayurvedic Medicine Guy. But...next time? Inchallah..."

Submitted by Chase who blogs at The Kathmandu Diet and tweets on @chasews

Often, in countries where Expat Aid Workers work, there exists a strong customer loyalty between the EAW’s native friends and coworkers and a certain tailor, cobbler or watch battery replacer. The EAW will try extra hard to be invited along on a visit to whatever shop/craftsperson, and once this happens, the EAW will consider themselves ‘introduced’ to the shopkeeper/craftsperson, and will start referring to the person as “My [insert good or service here] guy.”

The EAW may even namedrop their mutual acquaintances to the shopkeeper/craftsperson in pursuit of the ever elusive “local price” for said good or service.

When new EAWs are hired on at the organization, and are understandably confused about where to find battery chargers that won’t be fried by the local voltage, the more experienced EAW will loftily explain “I’ve got a guy for that.”

Any subsequent attempts by the new EAW to accompany the old EAW on a visit to the charger store, or the really good watch battery guy, or the “guy that knows how to reattach a button-fly without ruining your vintage Levi’s,” will be met with nonspecific scheduling conflicts and unexpected, extremely short-term illnesses on the part of the old EAW.

Eventually, the new EAW may establish field cred by finding “a guy for that” of their own.