Friends
At the south end of the river front, where the Tonlé Sap river flows into the Mekong, a young man with grotesquely thin limbs told me from his wheelchair that he was from Thailand.
And he asked me for 1,000 riel.
Although only equivalent to less than 20 pence it was so much more than other people with less than a full complement of limbs would typically ask for. Usually the asking involved calling for your attention, and then looking at the places where limbs used to be before adding the terse explanation of a placename like Battambang accompanied by a vocal impression of an explosion.
Charades with landmines.
Reflecting on the cheek of this well-spoken non-amputee I continued to satisfy my thirst with a bottle of Pepsi, price 1,000 riel.
After further conversation and with a crowd now gathered around I established that my Thai suitor and his friend would actually be very happy with a drink so I got them a bottle of Pepsi each.
A 3rd beggar, an amputee, indicated that he too would like a drink. Knowing the afternoon sun of Phnom Penh could provide an endless queue of such thirsty legless people I declined but suggested to the English-speaking Thai that he could share his drink. He dismissed my suggestion pointing out that this other person was not his friend.
–But you are not my friend and I bought you a drink.
He didn’t respond, and I left feeling worthless to ignore other beggars elsewhere in the city.
See Also:
• Kosovo
• A Table in a Prague Tavern
• A Visit to Genoa
• Cycling Across America
Eolaí gan Fhéile:
