Bees to Honey

Souvenier shopping wasn't all that we hoped. It wasn't that there weren't many items of great interest. They were all made of local woods, grasses, bone, wool, etc and very unique to the area. The clothes were truly amazing and Kim was sure that everyone in her family needed atleast 2 outfits. No, there was plenty to buy and the prices were cheaper than one could even imagine. It almost felt wrong to purchase something for so little- like we were stealing in a way. The part that was so very difficult were the children.

Children saw our car pull up. They had no doubt that we were tourists and no doubt that we had money and intended to spend it on unnecessary items to put on a shelf or give to a family member's coffee machine back home. This place was unlike the place I wrote about earlier with the police. There was no one keeping back the beggers and from little shop to little shop, all about 4 foot wide with the owner standing in front as they do in Mexico, the people were like bees to honey. And I guess this honey was sticky because even though Kim and I knew better than to reach in our bags for food or money, the children stuck to us the whole time we attempted to shop.

Kim does not much like to shop anyway. Basically, she went into one store that sold traditional clothing and stayed there. When she tried to leave, the children were overwhelming to her and she was really ready to go. I had visited several shops while she was looking for corrected sizes and such... bought some native pottery, a little wall hanging, and some spoons. I loved their wooden spoons with cow horn handles that had been painted. (No, the horn wasn't as it is on a cow, it was carved and looked like ivory.) Anyway, back toward one of the first booths I visited, a persistant boy trying to sell gum wouldn't give me space. I pulled him aside and quietly told him that if he let me be, I would give him food on our way out. That he could not tell his friends, and I would give it to him out the car window. It bought me some space, and I intended to keep my promise.

Kim and I, both a little stressed from trying to shop in this already stressful day, decided to cut it short and finish at another time. Tom cleared a path to the car and we both got in, Nettie on hip. I reached into by bag and pulled out one of our last PowerBars. He took it. And then it was as if I didn't see what happened. Tom had turned the car around, and the boy apparently handed off his gum to another child. He placed his hands onto the driver's window which was half rolled down and asked for money, just 1 Birr. I told him no, that I had already given it to him. The car went a bit faster. He begged and kept pace with us. I looked at Kim. I looked at Tom. I repeated my answer.

My mind was starting to spin as the car went faster. Tom was being careful to not hurt him as he accelerated. We all expected that he would let go and give up. As my mind raced, I weighed the pros and cons. If I paid him, he would likely do it again to the next car. And he may very well get hurt and become one of the cripples we would see at most every intersection. If I didn't pay him, we may be the ones to cripple him. The car sped up. My eyes grew big with shock and worry and Tom finally snaps at me ," Just pay him a birr". I did. I immediately did. I just needed someone to tell me what to do. As we drove off, Tom said that in Amharic he was saying that I had promised him food or money when we left. Which I gave him the food I promised him as soon as we got in the car. I was confused. Had I in some way caused this? Was this child aware of just how dangerous he was being? If he was aware, was he just that desperate? Kim, Tom, and I were shaken for some time.