Manners lesson

Today I walked home from the bank with 400 USD, dressed in floppy sweatpants and my North Carolina t-shirt, with my iPod stopping up my ears. Such a muzungu.

While I was walking, Bus and Richard were following me. Thanks to the NPR podcast in my headphones I couldn’t hear them but I assumed they might be trying to talk to me. After about 5 minutes when I finally heard “Good afternoon” and responded, they introduced themselves and we kept walking together until my turn, when my little friends finally revealed that they weren’t just having fun with the muzungu but that they were indeed little enterprisers. I heard the standard: “J’ai faim, donne moi l’argent.” “I’m hungry, give me money.” My ears prick each time I hear it: street kids have got the general gist down but completely without manners (they don’t even using the respectful vous form). These seem like nice kids and I want to try something so we have an impromptu lesson there on the corner.

“You know you’ll be much more effective if you’re more polite. Try this: ‘Could you give me some money, please?’”

Their faces are searching to see if I just told them how much I was going to give them. I look closer and motion, hands from me to them to me to them: “Repeat after me,” and I repeat after me. They respond: “Give me money.” Okay, these kids really don’t know French. “No, that’s what you don’t say.” From the look he’s giving me, I think the little one gets it.

I focus on him: “Could you…”
He starts: “Could you…”
“Give me…”
“Give me…”
“Money. Please.”
“Money.”
“Please…”
“Please.”
Well done! And you can throw in the ‘I’m hungry’ part too if you like.

After a few tries they can spiel the whole phrase and I reward them with ten cents. Hopefully they’ll remember it and acquire more with their new manners.