After all these chores, I needed to get a breather and a cold drink. I went from shop to shop, looking for a cold Coke, but unfortunately, none had cold drinks; the reason was that all their fridges were paraffin-powered, and there was no fuel. I settled for a slightly cold drink from one of the shops, but it was more expensive than the one at room temperature. The shop owner had run out of paraffin a day earlier, and only Stoney ginger beer was still reasonably cold. I sat down on a bar stool, gulping down the contents of the can. My eyes moved around the shop after I realized I had paid less for the can than I would have been charged in Harare. The price of my favorite legendary Mazoe orange crush was ZWD$1,000 per two-liter container. This is an orange crush one can dilute to taste and is quite popular for its fruity flavor. Prices in Harare had gone up to ZWD$8,000 for two liters a week ago. Tinned beef, soap, sugar, salt—you name it; all were at least five times cheaper in this shop. I took out crisp, newly minted notes and paid for a three-months’ supply of groceries.

The owner smiled at me and thanked me profusely. “Is this the new money?” he asked, while getting a feel of the new bearer notes.

The Central Bank, maybe out of pride, did not want to call these large denominations currency. They called them bearer checks, which had values from ZWD$5,000 to ZWD$20,000.

As the shop owner displayed a beaming smile for my purchase, I felt so ashamed of myself. I knew his business would crumble in no time, as he would not be able to reorder. However, his ordinary client base could not afford higher prices, and the relatives from the cities now rarely visited rural areas. I thought of rushing off and telling my other Harare folk at the funeral of the cheaper groceries in the rural shops. After loading the goods into my car, guilt overcame me, and I decided to let the cat out of the bag.

“Sir, when was the last time you restocked?” I asked.

“Why do you ask?” he responded.

“I would recommend you contact the wholesaler you order from because prices have increased so much over the past week. You might not be able to restock if you keep your prices this low.”

His happy face turned pale, and I could see sweat on his brow. “How much do these things cost in town now?” he asked.

I told him that Mazoe orange crush was eight times more expensive in Harare than in his shop. During stable times, rural shops would be more expensive than urban shops, owing to transportation costs.