Once Upon A Time In The East
"You there!"
He ran to me in the sand, weaving past tables and chairs, kicking up a cloud of dust as he did.
"I have looked all over for you." I starred at him, surprised for a second, then calm as he continued in his broken english and thick middle eastern accent. "I have to wait here all day. I asked your friend, the pretty girl over there, where you are," he pointed to the girl sun bathing topless across the way, down the strand.
I was packing up for the day, squeezing everything in a backpack and finishing my drink.
"What'd she say?"
He was half out of breath, panting, "That she hadn't seen you since last night and she wouldn't know when you get back."
"I was here this morning."
"As was I," he raised his voice then got a hold of himself. "Then were prayers for the afternoon...."
"Yeah, I missed those."
"Do not lie, blue eyes. You are an infidel!" He smiled jokingly.
"I've heard that one before."
He was trying to say I was a non-believer, a Christian.
"Here, I have what you want today." He held it out.
"Good. Nice." I said.
"It'll cost twenty thousand."
"Twenty? No, no. What about ten?"
"No, No. Twenty. For my wait."
"I didn't ask you to wait."
He raised his voice again, "But I did, for you. All day. Ten is no good. You are a damned capitialist."
"And?"
"You try and destroy me and my family with your cheap."
"Cheap?"
"Yes, I ask for twenty, you want less. This costs money to make."
"It's not worth twenty."
"Yes it is."
"15."
"No, twenty."
"Then I'm not interested."
"Ok, then I'll leave."
"No, wait. Five plus ten American dollars."
"Dollars?"
"Yes."
"Damn capitialista!"
I smile, ten dollars is the same as 15 thousand Lire.
"Ok."
I gave him the money.
I kept packing up, gulped down the last sip.
"I will see you tomorrow?" I asked.
"Yes, I will be here all day. Right now I will go talk to your friend," he says grinning,"She looks lonely. Maybe she will buy something. Will you see her tonight?"
"I guess." I shruged.
"I will talk to her first, for you, as she is lonely right now. Turst, I am good with them."
"Ok."
And we walked away, he with my money and I with his wares.
"Hello!" I heard him scream and wave at the girl behind me. "Capitialista says he will not join you tonight. So I will!" He laughs.
I do too as the sun sets and I walk through the sand, back to the hotel.
He ran to me in the sand, weaving past tables and chairs, kicking up a cloud of dust as he did.
"I have looked all over for you." I starred at him, surprised for a second, then calm as he continued in his broken english and thick middle eastern accent. "I have to wait here all day. I asked your friend, the pretty girl over there, where you are," he pointed to the girl sun bathing topless across the way, down the strand.
I was packing up for the day, squeezing everything in a backpack and finishing my drink.
"What'd she say?"
He was half out of breath, panting, "That she hadn't seen you since last night and she wouldn't know when you get back."
"I was here this morning."
"As was I," he raised his voice then got a hold of himself. "Then were prayers for the afternoon...."
"Yeah, I missed those."
"Do not lie, blue eyes. You are an infidel!" He smiled jokingly.
"I've heard that one before."
He was trying to say I was a non-believer, a Christian.
"Here, I have what you want today." He held it out.
"Good. Nice." I said.
"It'll cost twenty thousand."
"Twenty? No, no. What about ten?"
"No, No. Twenty. For my wait."
"I didn't ask you to wait."
He raised his voice again, "But I did, for you. All day. Ten is no good. You are a damned capitialist."
"And?"
"You try and destroy me and my family with your cheap."
"Cheap?"
"Yes, I ask for twenty, you want less. This costs money to make."
"It's not worth twenty."
"Yes it is."
"15."
"No, twenty."
"Then I'm not interested."
"Ok, then I'll leave."
"No, wait. Five plus ten American dollars."
"Dollars?"
"Yes."
"Damn capitialista!"
I smile, ten dollars is the same as 15 thousand Lire.
"Ok."
I gave him the money.
I kept packing up, gulped down the last sip.
"I will see you tomorrow?" I asked.
"Yes, I will be here all day. Right now I will go talk to your friend," he says grinning,"She looks lonely. Maybe she will buy something. Will you see her tonight?"
"I guess." I shruged.
"I will talk to her first, for you, as she is lonely right now. Turst, I am good with them."
"Ok."
And we walked away, he with my money and I with his wares.
"Hello!" I heard him scream and wave at the girl behind me. "Capitialista says he will not join you tonight. So I will!" He laughs.
I do too as the sun sets and I walk through the sand, back to the hotel.
posted by Chris Miles at 11:44 AM
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