Thanks guys

For the record, the general consensus on me not wanting to complain, was that all my compadres in canada enjoyed it. made them feel good about their life.

Ass ole

None the less, I will thus continue my ranting. and with further foudnation.

Tonight, i will be reunited with my luggage for the first time in over three weeks. (ive only been here four) So the pants im wearing may see a shower... after 26 days.

For the record, anyone whos thinking that its a blessing to travel as a Canadian.. its not really. Last night, i spent four hours on Avenue borguibas. The busies street in Tunis, in my opinion. Home to four star hotels, more cafes than colombia can provide coffee for, cathedrals theatres etc.

None the less, this was my first time spending anytime on this avenue without tunisian counterparts. Clearly a mistake. to this point i havent been really hastled too much. I was looking to purchase a new phone (Tont tell Jessica i los hers). i was following the signs for tunisiana the phone providor. innocent enough. an individual comes up and starts talking to me. okay sure i really care that you know someone in canada, oh your names kaebul great. sure lets shake hands again to that. uh where am i going, not really sure why thats your business. what am i doing here? I collect bottles for a living, mind your business. Why are you folloing me into this shoe store? cant you understand that this is a deliberate tactic e^mployed to rid me of you. Finnaly i am borderline uncourteous and say okay im going to turn around now an dgo the other direction. when he gets the idea, he hands me the bag of candy he had just bought and tries to touch my face. I think i rid him before he actually was able to brief the subject of money, and when he did realize i was leaving, he figured if he stuck his grubby finger in my face id have some immediate desire to throw money at him.

None the less, hand on couteau, i turn around and light sprint, going into random stores to make sure hes not behind me. Make it to th emain ave sucessfully and continue moseying. Here i meet two or three young skateboard style kids, mohawks piercings the whole nine yars. he tells me he wants to work in Cnada to make the big dollars. I said feel free, after all , im making the big dollars in your country (12 CDN / day).

When i departed from them he warned me to pay attention to the people on this street. Theres alot of guys that will pretend to talk to you and try and get your money. Thanks I say, thinking little of it. Thinking im wiser than the tricks of the average tunisian bear.

Enter Cardel. Realy name? sure if you think so. The same line every time. with british accented english. ey man you got the time, and points to his wrist, in case his english wasnt good enough.

Whaere you from maen?

Canada I reply. Oh yeaah, great country my brother lives there with his wife, an English girl.

Meanwhile, i don’t want to encourage further conversation and im talking to him in French. French as broken as a Tunisian internet cafe.

You write better in french or English he asks? Anglais, I reply. Could you do me a favour man, write me a post card. im thinking your fat ass wants me to send you a post card? get real?

After expressing my confusion / disbelief, he clarifies that he wants me to write him a post card in English, for a friend of his. that’s harmless enough I think, so i say okay. (idiot) I tell him im meeting a friend shortly and cant stay long (meeting friend in four hours )

He starts walking into the one of many smoke overwhelmed cafes. and i stay on the street. he returns whay man? you don’t want to come in?

I dont like the smoke i say. although really i just dont want to go into a small space with little exits. He says fine and we take a seat on the terrace. he asks me if i want anything? Sure i say, mint tea. He goes to order it,
While he’s gone i start writing a text to Jaime saying " curse being white, being harassed to write a post card". he returns saying the waiter has the order and i put the phone down.

He makes small talk where are you from? (Idiot) oh yeah, and you speak English do you? (Idiot, he already asked me these things). Oh yeah, Canada, i have a friend there.

I figure he’s messing with me at this point. But that thought process building was halted when he asks if my phone is a nokia and reaches for it. I’m concerned because i just lost my phone and want to protect the new one . but im more concerned cause this guy probably has fourteen other criminal friends within a few feet, and im just ripping him up on a text which is still on my screen.

he starts turning it into the light to read the screen. oh fuck i say, uh is it chagred i say and grab it from his hand.

Composure regained, I start wondering what’s going on. i ask him questions, who’s the post card for, a friend? Oh. Cool. Do you have the postcard, yeah here. and he pulls out a pathetic looking set of post it notes, as if he will re write what i write..... Yeah, Right.

So i start making a sincere attempt, dotting i's correcting grammar he dictates.

Hello,

How are you doing? Thanks for the post cards and calls. I will call you in a few days.

Cardel

(okay, by the time the card gets there, it will be a few days. So why dont you tell them that five seconds ago, you decided to call them and now you are. Same logic. SO that leaves us with. How are you doing, thanks and good bye. Right. On a post it note. )

I don’t want to write too much he says. Ill scare her. I understand this, and laugh in an effort to find some common ground and stop being so condescending.)

So where is your friend at that this card is going to.

Shes from From France he says.

Shes from france I say? (Hello? Idiot? Anyone home )

“yeah” he says, reading my mind “but the cards in English”

Okay, Chalk this one up as being messed with I think.


Then he starts talking and mumbles western union. You work at western union do you I ask ? no he says my brother sent me some money . oh the one from Canada I ask ?

Uh , yeah he says thaet one.

Yeah he sent me some money but I don’t have the card. So maybe tomorrow well come out and ill buy you some biere, but I m sorry I cant get you more tonight. He doesn’t commit to not paying for my tea, half implies he will. Not wanting to give away his cards. Hes calculating whether or not I will pay out with charity if he shows his amicability by paying for my tea.

Sorry bud, no refunds.

(cough con cough )

The tea comes, uh you have any change for the tip to give the waiter. Still naively thinking im going to get a free tea for my efforts and ill say no when he asks for cash.

Yeah I have some money for the tip I say. Were both facing the street now. Sitting down with a table between us. How much he says. Some I say Well how much you got mate. And he starts backing up from the table looking at my pocket where my hand is. I pull out a few hundred milliemes CDN 30 cents or so. That’s it he says? I have a little more I say, knowing by this time that im paying for the tea. But I want to give him every comfort in the world there will be no problems if he leaves.

How much he says staring at my pocket? What you don’t want to tell me ?

No I say, point blank.

Whay noet maen ?

Cause I don’t know you I say. He stares at me uncomfortably.

_____________ Sorry, have to leave to be continued, late for work_________

Luke