Humanity

I found myself alone for dinner, my interpreter staying with some friends in a neighboring town. With the sky turning dark, I heeded the advice I received many times to not be out in Poipet after dark. As walked down the road to find the nights food stall, the sky opened up with a fire hose of water. It was as if God himself was trying to drown every living being on earth. The dark streets were lit by the constant crashing of lightning on nearby buildings. I ducked into a corrugated metal roof to take refuge from the elements only to have a wide eyed Cambodian grandmother looking at me, gesturing to one of her plastic chairs to sit for dinner. After scanning the establishment I wanted desperately to go to anther restaurant, but I weighed the risks and benefits of food poisoning against electrocution and decided that there was a reason I brought antibiotics and nausea medication. I stayed for dinner. I pointed to "fried beef with rice" on the menu and an Angkor beer and she disappeared.

One hour later I ask the woman if the meal would be ready soon. I didn't see any cows out back, so the meat procurement couldn't possibly be the hold up. It is my fault for not speaking Khmer... but there was no change at establishing what was happening in the kitchen, and if my dinner was part of it.

From behind me a man in camouflage asked if he could help. Thankful to hear English, I explained to the man what had happened. He discussed it with Grandma, and filled in the details that I was already sure of... she didn't understand that pointing at the menu meant I would like to order it.

With my order on the way, the man took pity on me, seeing me wait for so long and insisted I join him at his table. I was at first hesitant, being in Poipet and having recently returned from Siem Reap where everything is cheap, but NOTHING is for free and everything comes at a price. He stated that I must be starving, and to share his dinner with him until mine came out.

He was a soldier in the Cambodian army, married with a 9 year old boy and  5 year old girl. Because the army doesn't pay well, he spends his free time trying to earn extra money in Poipet with his brother.

3 women come up to our table from the street, their attention on the soldier and not me - almost as though I didn't exist. A short conversation occurs in Khmer and he pulls out his wallet. He gives them each a small bill and they leave.

Without explanation he simply states, "even though I don't have much... I have more than them."

My dinner eventually comes out, but by this time we are both full but don't dare waste the food.

Dinner turned out be excellent, but even more satisfying was sharing a friendly conversation with a complete stranger on the other side of the world. He could have asked me for money, robbed me, or simply ignored me.

With the rain still coming down like a waterfall from the sky, he gave me a ride back home in his jeep to the hotel.

Check mark... put one down for humanity.