November 22, 1980

DAKAR, SENEGAL
There was a big, full moon tonight, but I think it affected some people much earlier in the day. After another fruitless morning of searching for cheaper digs, I passed the siesta hours in my room, with the door open, writing and doing a crossword puzzle. A girl peeked in once and apparently was looking for somebody else, so she excused herself. Twenty minutes later, she came back, said Hi, asked where I came from, how long I would be here, was I alone, etc. I began to suspect something and when she closed the door and reached inside my pants (my fly is broken), I decided that my suspicions were correct. Head to tell her au revoir and she sulked away.

Later in the afternoon, she came back when I was lying on my bed, reading. She sat on the edge of the bed and asked me what was wrong, why didn't I want to faire l'amour, could I give her 50¢ for a taxi… The subject changed to the price of hotel rooms and here she was an expert, rattling off the prices of a dozen hotels around town. The clerk told me that tomorrow I can change to a $9 room, and judging by this expert's information, it may be the cheapest around.

The other moon-worshipper appeared on my way to dinner. A black guy, about my age, stepped out and started the usual over-friendly patter of the sidewalk hawkers, though I didn't see any merchandise. He spoke in English, shook my hand constantly, and must have told me thirty times ore more that he wanted to welcome me to his country, his name was Ali, and what was my name? When I started getting tired of this, he ingeniously slid a necklace from under his sleeve onto my arm, while shaking my hand. I told him I didn't want it and he told me thirty times that it was a gift, for free, he swore to God, would he lie to god? It was a gift, for free, if he went to my country, he would be glad to accept a gift from me, what was my name? his was Ali.

I couldn't for the life of me figure out his game, but was getting exhausted with the conversation, so I accepted the "free gift" and tried to move on. In a flash, he whipped out an intricate silver bracelet and stuck it in my hand. Now he really had me baffled and I refused it, but he insisted it was a gift and put it on my wrist. Finally, he told me that maybe it would be proper if I gave him a tiny present, just enough for a Coke or something. I insisted he tell me exactly how much he would need for a Coke, so he leaned real close and whispered in my ear "$60." I left him in the dust, with his mouth hanging open, as though he never expected that I wouldn't gladly go along with it.