It Is Nice to Be Nice
While visiting my friend this past weekend, we met a Rasta-bumster variety, who invited himself into my friend's house. (Said friend's host sister and brother were in the house with us, so it was safe---no worries).
Rasta-bumster, Alex, lowered his shades as he walked into my friend's front room, and said "Hello Nice Girls." (Apparently, all those who are not Gambian are referred to not only as toubab, but also as nice girl/boy...as if the whole term were a noun, not an adjective and a noun.) He proceeded to talk in circles, ultimately trying to convince us to have conversation with him sometime (i.e. date). My friend, her host siblings, and I were thoroughly amused as Alex is the epitome of the Bumster variety. We finally got him to leave, but he left one lasting impression---this quote, which he repeated about 42 times during our conversation: It's nice to be nice.
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Today, I walked back to the PC house and along the way, stopped at the Vegetable Stand to pick up some tomatoes and cucumbers for my lunch (I made bruschetta, by the way, and it was delicious!). The Vegetable Man that I befriended these past few weeks was not to be seen. However, his counterpart, Buba, remembered me and greeted me with a smile. As I picked out some tomatoes and a cucumber, we chatted. I asked him how much I owed him and he sheepishly said, "Just take it." To which I replied, "What?!" and again he said, "Just take it." I tried to offer him money, but he refused and said, "Just take it, please." I thanked him and he asked my name and of course, I said, "Jaliika" and then he asked for my 'really' name, and I told him. As I said thank you in English and Mandinka and Wollof, I hurried away as if the Vegetable Man were watching from a distance and was going to yell at Buba for giving me "free stuff" and yell at me for accepting it. As I rounded the corner, I saw the Vegetable Man chatting with the Shrimp Man. Thankfully, there were no repercussions.
Maybe the Rasta-Bumster, Alex, was right in his own way: It IS nice to be nice.
Lesson of the Day: Befriend and patronize (frequently) the Vegetable Man and he'll give you free stuff (on occasion) and if anything else, he'll always give a friendly "Salalameekum" when you pass by.
Rasta-bumster, Alex, lowered his shades as he walked into my friend's front room, and said "Hello Nice Girls." (Apparently, all those who are not Gambian are referred to not only as toubab, but also as nice girl/boy...as if the whole term were a noun, not an adjective and a noun.) He proceeded to talk in circles, ultimately trying to convince us to have conversation with him sometime (i.e. date). My friend, her host siblings, and I were thoroughly amused as Alex is the epitome of the Bumster variety. We finally got him to leave, but he left one lasting impression---this quote, which he repeated about 42 times during our conversation: It's nice to be nice.
---
Today, I walked back to the PC house and along the way, stopped at the Vegetable Stand to pick up some tomatoes and cucumbers for my lunch (I made bruschetta, by the way, and it was delicious!). The Vegetable Man that I befriended these past few weeks was not to be seen. However, his counterpart, Buba, remembered me and greeted me with a smile. As I picked out some tomatoes and a cucumber, we chatted. I asked him how much I owed him and he sheepishly said, "Just take it." To which I replied, "What?!" and again he said, "Just take it." I tried to offer him money, but he refused and said, "Just take it, please." I thanked him and he asked my name and of course, I said, "Jaliika" and then he asked for my 'really' name, and I told him. As I said thank you in English and Mandinka and Wollof, I hurried away as if the Vegetable Man were watching from a distance and was going to yell at Buba for giving me "free stuff" and yell at me for accepting it. As I rounded the corner, I saw the Vegetable Man chatting with the Shrimp Man. Thankfully, there were no repercussions.
Maybe the Rasta-Bumster, Alex, was right in his own way: It IS nice to be nice.
Lesson of the Day: Befriend and patronize (frequently) the Vegetable Man and he'll give you free stuff (on occasion) and if anything else, he'll always give a friendly "Salalameekum" when you pass by.
posted by Stephanie at 10:08 AM
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