Blackberry

My friend Halley likes to say that in Burkina you often have conversations that begin harmless before becoming strange and uncomfortable. Usually they are with a special class of stranger known as the infamous "FAUX TYPES" (false/fake types). These interactions generally go a little like this:

1) First it seems nice. 2) Then you don't get why the person you are talking with is saying what they are saying. 3) Then it seems a little off. 4) Then it gets weird. 5) Finally you feel very uncomfortable.

We have many examples. But, I have a mild one for today.

Stage one:

I was sitting to lunch with a friend yesterday at a restaurant when the phone salesman walked up to us to try to sell something. We said no (as usual) and he complimented my phone.

Stage two:

He passed by again trying to sell memory cards. This time he said something under his breath along the lines of "Are you going to sell that to me?" He then walked off as though he hadn't said anything. I was confused and not sure what he meant.

Stage three:

Then he comes up to me and asks if the man sitting across the way could look at my Blackberry as I am using it. I often freeze in this stage because I am not sure what to do in such an odd situation. I figured there was no harm in him looking, so I reluctantly agreed.

Stage four:

He then says to me. "You, him and I should sit down and reach an agreement and you can buy a new one in Europe." At this point I was so weirded out that I didn't bother saying that I am not French. I just politely refused.

Stage Five:

After saying no, he insisted.

Burkina is known as "The Land of the Upright People, but my friend Naeta and I often call it "The Land of the Persistent People" because of interactions that don't seem to end at the normal ending point. I often feel like a dead horse that is becoming concave from the impact of endless persistence.

This time I said "no" in sets of three like a chickadee. I swear I said "No, no, no" four or five times. Then he insisted that I can just buy a new one in Europe and that it is difficult to get them in Africa (I have 7 months left and don't live in Europe normally). I responded saying that I don't have the money or time to do so. He persisted. I continued my triple refusals.

Finally after the awkward dance, he walked away. I had stopped acknowledging his requests. The cycle was complete and we were both left shaking our heads.

Later that day a man complimented my blackberry and muttered something about buying it. I just said thank you, kept drinking my juice and talking to my friend.
Sent from my BlackBerry® smartphone from Airtel Burkina Faso.