30 Seconds Short of a Great Day
23 Dec 05
I'm now in Addis again, this time for the holidays. I arrived by air this morning, which set the day off to a fantastic start. I've mentioned that the bus system, though extensive and inexpensive, is not exactly luxury travel. Traveling by air is for me something of a rare treat; this is only the second time I've flown. As I jumped off the plane my mobile phone rang. It was Getemesey telling me the man who is willing to rent me his Land Cruiser is waiting for me at the district center. Another win. I've been trying to confirm that I actually have a vehicle to ferry my parents around, and started trying to get ahold of the right person about a month ago. I hopped on a contract taxi - another treat as I usually opt for the cheap group taxis - and headed for the district center. I did this as there strangely were no group taxis in sight when I left the airport. My contract driver explained to me, once on the road, that there was a disturbance again today and many drivers were staying off the roads.
When I arrived at the district center Getemesey and his friend were waiting for me with a Land Cruiser in fantastic condition. The price was somewhat high, but I played the "I'm a volunteer and just don't think I can pay that," card and got it reduced. He agreed to rent to me as a "soft-rent" which means he'll rent to me without a certified driver. This is somewhat of a risk to him as I might drive like I do (ha) and damage his vehicle. Once we agreed on a price he asked where I was heading. He agreed to drop me off on his way to wherever it was that he was going. I stopped at a new mall near the Miller's home, and spent several hours shopping in a bookstore and then reading my purchase in Kaldi's - a Starbucks clone except with better coffee and much cheaper prices (what do you expect in Ethiopia?). I also realized while there that I hadn't eaten lunch so I ordered a pizza. By the time I left for the Miller's I was in a great mood and enjoying one of my best days in a long time.
I took a group taxi to the turnoff to the Miller's, and then walked to their house from there. On my right side hung my attache style bag with laptop, camera, and mobile phone. On my left hung a duffel bag with books and clothes. Along the way I chatted with school children who are always eager to show off their english, and nodded to the elderly men who bowed and smiled to me. Pass the tea shoppe on the left, past the small grocery shop on the right. Down the dusty road. Passed by a taxi, and huddle with the locals as we keep our heads out of the dust cloud that rises in the van's wake. Finally turn right onto the last leg of the walk to the house. In the distance a group of children walks along with a parent or older brother. Quick running footsteps come up behind me. A young man is suddenly by my side. I turn to him and smile, thinking he is one of the many who run to me to use their english, ask where I'm going, etc. He says "money." I smile and shake my head no, by now used to being asked for money on a regular basis. He starts putting his hands in my pockets. I shove him away and say no. This is somewhat typical as well, and isn't regarded as violent or "mugging," at least not when its done by someone obviously in need. In this case the young man seemed well dressed and not particularly hurting. He continues to try to get into my pockets and grab my back. I am somewhat forceful in saying no, and beginning to realize this isn't the typical begging I experience in Jimma. He raises his right hand high in the air and reveals he's holding a large rock and tells me to "Stop!" Now its not that I'm particularly brave, but something about the situation struck me as funny - a skinny Ethiopian holding me up with a rock, as if we're not walking on a gravel road and I can't bend down and pick one up too. I smile at him despite that he's trying to attack me and tell him no. He seems confused and doesn't know what to do, obviously more scared of hitting me with the rock than I am. It was clear to me from his reaction that he had no intention of attacking me. I thought I was home free.
Of course, it can never be that easy. No self respecting Ethiopian thief would ever rob someone by themselves. Two of his friends run up. As I said, its not that I'm all that brave, its just that if someone is going to rob me they're going to have to work for it. Alright, sure, if someone holds a gun or maybe a knife to me I'll throw my hands up. But two empty handed Ethiopians and one scared guy with a rock aren't going to intimidate me. Nevertheless, I only have two hands and they have a combined six, not to mention that its not really in my nature to strike back. I do my best to keep them from reaching into my pockets, but in the meantime one has grabbed my arms and the other two have grabbed my bags. Had I let up, I don't know how much they would have taken. As it was they seemed to want to get away in a hurry, either worried that I might decide I've had enough or that someone else might decide to help. They are, after all, robbing me in broad daylight. Before I could grab my bags back away from them, one of them had taken 100 birr (12USD) from my pocket, and the other found my mobile phone in my bag. I was angry enough that they got that much, but felt lucky they didn't just run off with the bag. I would have lost a laptop, ipod, and digital camera, not to mention my passport and a credit card. It doesn't make sense to me for them to let me keep my bag, but as I said, they weren't exactly hardened gang members. I suspect they'll sleep uneasy for the next few nights, worried the police will show up.
The Millers will probably want me to report the incident, but I don't think I will. The policy of the police here is to arrest at random a group of young people in the neighborhood, and then beat them to make a point to the community. The idea is to make the punishment on the community so bad that the community itself turns against the criminals. I also always harbor a sympathy for the criminals who rob me (this is my fourth time to be robbed, though the first to be done to my face). In fact, my anger towards those who steal from me is not so much rooted in my loss of property, but in the inequitable exchange of property. The 100 birr I don't mind losing, and view it as an almost justifiable exchange of resources from the rich to the poor. However, in stealing my mobile phone, they will likely make another 100 birr selling it on the black market. Granted, I could buy it back from the black market and thus make the exchange of property equitable, but since I originally purchased the phone legally for 500 birr, there is an effective loss of 400 birr in the exchange. I'd rather the theft go like this: theft of 100 birr, theft of mobile phone. After we all agree the theft event is over, haggle over the price of the phone. I could offer them 150 birr, giving 50 birr more than they'll make selling it illegally, and saving me 350 birr to buy another one new. Obviously this would never work (if I have another 150 birr on me they'll just steal that too) but it should work, if only we could sit down and reason together.
Anyway, after a short party for my pitties, I'm now alright. No major harm was done, and I've lost more total cash bribing my way out of Mexico. The Miller's will be back tomorrow, and Sunday is Christmas. My parents are coming Jan 3 and I've got a Land Cruiser. What more do I want? Well, a mobile phone for one. But other than that...
Michael
I'm now in Addis again, this time for the holidays. I arrived by air this morning, which set the day off to a fantastic start. I've mentioned that the bus system, though extensive and inexpensive, is not exactly luxury travel. Traveling by air is for me something of a rare treat; this is only the second time I've flown. As I jumped off the plane my mobile phone rang. It was Getemesey telling me the man who is willing to rent me his Land Cruiser is waiting for me at the district center. Another win. I've been trying to confirm that I actually have a vehicle to ferry my parents around, and started trying to get ahold of the right person about a month ago. I hopped on a contract taxi - another treat as I usually opt for the cheap group taxis - and headed for the district center. I did this as there strangely were no group taxis in sight when I left the airport. My contract driver explained to me, once on the road, that there was a disturbance again today and many drivers were staying off the roads.
When I arrived at the district center Getemesey and his friend were waiting for me with a Land Cruiser in fantastic condition. The price was somewhat high, but I played the "I'm a volunteer and just don't think I can pay that," card and got it reduced. He agreed to rent to me as a "soft-rent" which means he'll rent to me without a certified driver. This is somewhat of a risk to him as I might drive like I do (ha) and damage his vehicle. Once we agreed on a price he asked where I was heading. He agreed to drop me off on his way to wherever it was that he was going. I stopped at a new mall near the Miller's home, and spent several hours shopping in a bookstore and then reading my purchase in Kaldi's - a Starbucks clone except with better coffee and much cheaper prices (what do you expect in Ethiopia?). I also realized while there that I hadn't eaten lunch so I ordered a pizza. By the time I left for the Miller's I was in a great mood and enjoying one of my best days in a long time.
I took a group taxi to the turnoff to the Miller's, and then walked to their house from there. On my right side hung my attache style bag with laptop, camera, and mobile phone. On my left hung a duffel bag with books and clothes. Along the way I chatted with school children who are always eager to show off their english, and nodded to the elderly men who bowed and smiled to me. Pass the tea shoppe on the left, past the small grocery shop on the right. Down the dusty road. Passed by a taxi, and huddle with the locals as we keep our heads out of the dust cloud that rises in the van's wake. Finally turn right onto the last leg of the walk to the house. In the distance a group of children walks along with a parent or older brother. Quick running footsteps come up behind me. A young man is suddenly by my side. I turn to him and smile, thinking he is one of the many who run to me to use their english, ask where I'm going, etc. He says "money." I smile and shake my head no, by now used to being asked for money on a regular basis. He starts putting his hands in my pockets. I shove him away and say no. This is somewhat typical as well, and isn't regarded as violent or "mugging," at least not when its done by someone obviously in need. In this case the young man seemed well dressed and not particularly hurting. He continues to try to get into my pockets and grab my back. I am somewhat forceful in saying no, and beginning to realize this isn't the typical begging I experience in Jimma. He raises his right hand high in the air and reveals he's holding a large rock and tells me to "Stop!" Now its not that I'm particularly brave, but something about the situation struck me as funny - a skinny Ethiopian holding me up with a rock, as if we're not walking on a gravel road and I can't bend down and pick one up too. I smile at him despite that he's trying to attack me and tell him no. He seems confused and doesn't know what to do, obviously more scared of hitting me with the rock than I am. It was clear to me from his reaction that he had no intention of attacking me. I thought I was home free.
Of course, it can never be that easy. No self respecting Ethiopian thief would ever rob someone by themselves. Two of his friends run up. As I said, its not that I'm all that brave, its just that if someone is going to rob me they're going to have to work for it. Alright, sure, if someone holds a gun or maybe a knife to me I'll throw my hands up. But two empty handed Ethiopians and one scared guy with a rock aren't going to intimidate me. Nevertheless, I only have two hands and they have a combined six, not to mention that its not really in my nature to strike back. I do my best to keep them from reaching into my pockets, but in the meantime one has grabbed my arms and the other two have grabbed my bags. Had I let up, I don't know how much they would have taken. As it was they seemed to want to get away in a hurry, either worried that I might decide I've had enough or that someone else might decide to help. They are, after all, robbing me in broad daylight. Before I could grab my bags back away from them, one of them had taken 100 birr (12USD) from my pocket, and the other found my mobile phone in my bag. I was angry enough that they got that much, but felt lucky they didn't just run off with the bag. I would have lost a laptop, ipod, and digital camera, not to mention my passport and a credit card. It doesn't make sense to me for them to let me keep my bag, but as I said, they weren't exactly hardened gang members. I suspect they'll sleep uneasy for the next few nights, worried the police will show up.
The Millers will probably want me to report the incident, but I don't think I will. The policy of the police here is to arrest at random a group of young people in the neighborhood, and then beat them to make a point to the community. The idea is to make the punishment on the community so bad that the community itself turns against the criminals. I also always harbor a sympathy for the criminals who rob me (this is my fourth time to be robbed, though the first to be done to my face). In fact, my anger towards those who steal from me is not so much rooted in my loss of property, but in the inequitable exchange of property. The 100 birr I don't mind losing, and view it as an almost justifiable exchange of resources from the rich to the poor. However, in stealing my mobile phone, they will likely make another 100 birr selling it on the black market. Granted, I could buy it back from the black market and thus make the exchange of property equitable, but since I originally purchased the phone legally for 500 birr, there is an effective loss of 400 birr in the exchange. I'd rather the theft go like this: theft of 100 birr, theft of mobile phone. After we all agree the theft event is over, haggle over the price of the phone. I could offer them 150 birr, giving 50 birr more than they'll make selling it illegally, and saving me 350 birr to buy another one new. Obviously this would never work (if I have another 150 birr on me they'll just steal that too) but it should work, if only we could sit down and reason together.
Anyway, after a short party for my pitties, I'm now alright. No major harm was done, and I've lost more total cash bribing my way out of Mexico. The Miller's will be back tomorrow, and Sunday is Christmas. My parents are coming Jan 3 and I've got a Land Cruiser. What more do I want? Well, a mobile phone for one. But other than that...
Michael
posted by Michael Rodgers at 6:37 AM
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