Photocopies

Photocopies involve logic believe it or not! We were recently trying to make a few simple photocopies. The money wrench that I threw into the mix was I had my own cardstock that I wanted the few pages printed on. So we pull into the first place. The girl tells me that instead of 10 francs it was going to be 100 francs because I brought my own paper. “What!!!!” I explained, wanting to you a few explicative words. I then went through the whole explanation to her and my friend. If I bring my own paper I am not buying paper from her but only the ink in copy machine. She told me then that was not how it worked. She told me that it was simple to understand and my problem (have I mentioned that there is great customer service here) was that the original was 2cm taller than the card stock and so that was not possible because the papers where not the exact same size. Then she elaborated that I brought thicker paper so she was going to charge me more because my paper is heavy where her paper is thin. I couldn’t grasp this, or may be I just refused to so I went through this whole explanation again and refuted her argument in great detail. She laughed at me and told me my paper would cost me more because it was thicker even though I brought it. I walked out with my card stock mumbling under my breath about the failure some people have to listen to logic in what others have to say. Mind you I’ve had similar experiences with Kinkos employees in Hollywood so I know it’s not an African thing.
The second place looked at me and said it was impossible to print on my paper. The third place refused as someone had paper like mine and it broke the machine when they put it in the paper tray. I could feel the determination rising within me that we must find a place that can do this. I know it’s possible and at a reasonable price. The fourth place said it was not possible. Then the fifth place wanted 250 Francs. Hello that is straight insanity! So we stand there and talk more to the man and the woman she finally gives in and prints them up for us at 50 Franc each. This is livable. I even gave her the tip that you should load it from the side and not in the tray. She was thankful for the photocopy advise. We bonded I guess you could say. I was relieved that this escapade was over and now we could focus on a more imperative adventure like finding colico (yam potato wedges that are fried and served with hot peppe) my favorite treat.