I headed to Togo this weekend with a friend. We were warned by another friend that the people who exchange money at the border will try to steal and or cheat you from the full amount they owe you.
I checked and recounted and watched my surroundings like a hawk.
They still somehow shorted me 10,00 CFAs ($20). My friend also thought they stole 20 Cedi ($12) from her. We went back to our “friends”. I told them that they may not touch anything, they are just to watch, and I counted out 42,000 CFA. They owed me 52,000. Obviously caught in a lie they quickly handed over the 10,000 CFA. The real issue came when trying to get the 20 Cedi back. They obviously denied doing any such thing and pointed out that we could not prove that they had stolen it as they didn’t know how many Cedi we’d started with. What logic.
What ensued was something like a ten minute rather heated argument where I said many awful things and called them many awful names. Whatever.
At this point I was called over by someone else who asked what the problem was. Sometimes people are nice and like to help people with their problems. This was another money changer and thinking he may be able to talk to his friends I nicely explained the situation.
He wasn’t interested in helping.
What he said was that I should forgive and forget. Just forget about it and move on. I asked him if someone stole 20 Cedi from him if he’d be upset. He looked up with his little smug face and said, no he’d forgive and forget. Thank you Mr. Thief for giving me a lesson on Christian values. Thank you for steering me away from that path of corruption I was obviously headed down.
This was not a turn the other cheek moment. I’m not saying I’m proud of my actions, but I am saying I have no regrets. And it was kind of awesome. Ok, so maybe I’m a tiny bit proud.
In my moment’s rage at being told to forgive and forget I bent over to where the man was sitting and grabbed 10,000 CFA off the top of his money pile turned around and walked away into the crowded station.
Obviously I didn’t make it far.
There were instantly some 3 large Ghanaian men pulling me backward by my backpack. I spun around, looked them straight in the eye, slapped on a smile and said “forgive and forget!” and turned to continue walking.
Two of the men were obviously surprised and walked away laughing leaving their friend to figure out the crazy white girl for himself.
You know that scene in Christmas Story where the bully kid is yelling “Say uncle! Say uncle!!”
Well there I was in the middle of a hot, dusty, border town bus station yelling “Say you’re upset! SAY IT!” to some guy who had 15 years and 6 inches on me. He tried getting the money from my clenched fist, which was obviously fruitless, it’s like my three little brothers have spent their lives training me for this moment. I repeatedly told him that all he had to do was admit that he was upset and I’d give it back. He stubbornly kept saying things like “No, no, I’m not upset. Just please give it back. I beg you.” Unfortunately out-stubborning me is just not something most people are going to win at. He pleaded and I told him to say he’s upset for a good period of time. I only relented when he got a truly desperate look in his eyes. Like he was beginning to believe he was never getting his money back. It was pathetic and I finally decided that I value my time too much to be spending it with begging, sniveling thieves.
Do I recommend forgetting that you’re a 5’6”, yellow-headed, weakling and getting in such altercations with people obviously void of any moral value? Not really. But do I condone the corruption, bigotry, and patriarchal nonsense that ruins things for all the truly wonderful people that inhabit this country I have grown to love? Absolutely not. And sometimes the latter just wins out over the former.
SAY YOU'RE UPSET
Intimidating, I know.
No comments:
Post a Comment