Street sellers here are a rough bunch. There is no peace. A multitude of entreaties----"my friend", "best price", "come look", "I have a gift for you". They are everywhere, small towns, big cities, roadsides. In St. Louis I overhear the following embittered diatribe when someone tries to say no: " You Americans are no good....no spend money....bad for Africa." Perhaps one loses their cool a bit, struggling all day to make enough to survive, when he see our annoyed expressions and furtive crossing of the street. The dance must infuriate him near the end of his day, in the heat. Our privilege is a reminder that his reality is confoundingly different. No wonder his epithet.
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