Fresh Eggs

A couple of months ago, the kids started selling crates of eggs to our compound neighbors. We have a colleague who supplies us with the eggs about once a week for 550 naira/crate of 30 eggs. The kids go around to the neighbors and sell them for 600 naira/crate. So they make a profit of N50 or $0.33 per crate. Of the three kids, 3-year-old Lily is the most eager to sell.

The other day a neighbor came by to see if we had eggs, and I said, "Well, we don't have any fresh eggs, but we still have some from about 6 days ago if you want those." The neighbor said, "I'll wait for the fresh eggs."

After the neighbor left, Bayo said, "What do you mean 'fresh' eggs? I've never heard of that in my life. Eggs are eggs."

The next time a neighbor came around asking about eggs, I avoided using the words 'fresh eggs' and just said, "I still have some from last week if you want those." I didn't want to give Bayo another chance to crack up.

Awhile back when we stayed in a guest house, Tobi opened the fridge and saw a container for holding eggs in the fridge. With amazement he said, "Why on earth would anybody put eggs in the fridge?!"

I guess that's one area where we are completely Nigerian. I usually have about 2 crates of eggs at a time, and I always keep them on top of the fridge. I have never refrigerated eggs in my nearly 14 years of being here. Do they spoil? Rarely. We don't clean the eggs (remove the chicken droppings) until just before we use them. I've heard that they will spoil if they are cleaned and then left out at room temperature for days.

I don't have any idea what a dozen eggs costs in the U.S. right now. Let me do a little calculating and see what a dozen eggs costs in Nigeria...$1.60.