Tiger Biscuits
A Short (Neglected) Story
A couple of weeks ago I was taking a break from traveling. I had stopped at Agonda Beach in Goa. Agonda was a small town and beach with no more than 1000 residents, and a great place to relax. My time was completely occupied with fishing, swimming, sleeping, and eating. One day while I walked on the main road towards my favorite resturant for lunch, I began to pass the one road that intersected with it. This intersection was where the rare bus would stop and unload a passenger or two. For this reason, it wasn't uncommon to find one or two people hocking somthing in this area. As I passed this section of the town I walked by a man standing on the side of the road. He was Indian, wearing western clothes, looking around nervously, but otherwise non-descript. As I got parrelell to him I heard him say something in a low hushed voice. Having traveled a while, I've been able to hone my skills of ignoring the constant badgering of tuk tuck drivers, people selling maps/sunglasses, etc. This is especially true when it sounds like a person is trying to be covert, because it means they are most likely trying to sell something illegal. Keeping my gaze forward, I didn't slow down as I passed the stranger, but I hadn't taken more than three steps when it finally registered what the man had said. "Pepsi?" was what had distinctly come from the mans mouth. I decided I must have misheard him, and that he had probably said taxi. So I turned around and said "what?". The man, trying to look non-chalant, peered both directions up and down the street as if an ambush was waiting for anyone carrying the merchandise he had. Then, he very distinctly, in the same low hushed voice said "Pespi?". I was feeling truly confused, and I'm sure this was well reflected in the perplexed look I had. I finally, realized I should answer the man, so I said no thank you, and turned to continue on my way. I hadn't taken more than a couple steps when in the same low hushed voice I hear the man say "Coke?".
Today I leave Kunyakimari(the southern tip of India). I am very ready to do so. As Christmas gets closer the huge catholic church gets more and more rowdy. The church, which towers over the surrounding neighborhood, has become more christmas light than building. At night its pulsates with so many lights that it's sometimes hard to tell wheather or not its on fire. This is accompanied by more than 12 giants speakers that blast Indian music almost 24 hours a day. The speakers are old and worn which greatly effects the qaulity of the sounds they produce. The music blankets the town with half screeching, half Bollywood musical soundtracks, from 7am until 11:30pm everyday. Getting good sleep has been difficult.
I got into my first argument, in a very long time, about religion. I was on the train going to Trivandum when a middle aged man came and sat down beside me. He immeiatly drilled me with the normal questions, where are you from, how old are you, are you married, but his religion question was slightly different than usual. He asked whether I was Christan or Catholic. I hesitated for a moment and then told him I was niether. Shocked, may not really sum up the look that was on his face. He started pressing me until I finally told him I had no religion at all. For moment I thought he might faint, and then a steadfast resolve washed over him, or at least I beleive that what it was, because from that moment on he took upon himself to convert me to Catholisism. Over the next 20 minutes he pulled out all the old arguments in favor of accepting Jesus Christ as my lord and savior. He even related an event where he had crashed his motorcycle and walked away unharmed, which, without a doubt proved that there was a god. I was patient and walked him through why he wasn't changing my mind, until, frustrated he said "you are selfish, your just living for yourself, and you obviously don't care about anybody". In response I told him he didn't know me, and that I was through talking with him. The situation escalated until he finally stormed out of compartment I was seated in. I feel kind of stupid for rising for that one, but oh well, it helped make the train ride go quicker.
A couple of weeks ago I was taking a break from traveling. I had stopped at Agonda Beach in Goa. Agonda was a small town and beach with no more than 1000 residents, and a great place to relax. My time was completely occupied with fishing, swimming, sleeping, and eating. One day while I walked on the main road towards my favorite resturant for lunch, I began to pass the one road that intersected with it. This intersection was where the rare bus would stop and unload a passenger or two. For this reason, it wasn't uncommon to find one or two people hocking somthing in this area. As I passed this section of the town I walked by a man standing on the side of the road. He was Indian, wearing western clothes, looking around nervously, but otherwise non-descript. As I got parrelell to him I heard him say something in a low hushed voice. Having traveled a while, I've been able to hone my skills of ignoring the constant badgering of tuk tuck drivers, people selling maps/sunglasses, etc. This is especially true when it sounds like a person is trying to be covert, because it means they are most likely trying to sell something illegal. Keeping my gaze forward, I didn't slow down as I passed the stranger, but I hadn't taken more than three steps when it finally registered what the man had said. "Pepsi?" was what had distinctly come from the mans mouth. I decided I must have misheard him, and that he had probably said taxi. So I turned around and said "what?". The man, trying to look non-chalant, peered both directions up and down the street as if an ambush was waiting for anyone carrying the merchandise he had. Then, he very distinctly, in the same low hushed voice said "Pespi?". I was feeling truly confused, and I'm sure this was well reflected in the perplexed look I had. I finally, realized I should answer the man, so I said no thank you, and turned to continue on my way. I hadn't taken more than a couple steps when in the same low hushed voice I hear the man say "Coke?".
Today I leave Kunyakimari(the southern tip of India). I am very ready to do so. As Christmas gets closer the huge catholic church gets more and more rowdy. The church, which towers over the surrounding neighborhood, has become more christmas light than building. At night its pulsates with so many lights that it's sometimes hard to tell wheather or not its on fire. This is accompanied by more than 12 giants speakers that blast Indian music almost 24 hours a day. The speakers are old and worn which greatly effects the qaulity of the sounds they produce. The music blankets the town with half screeching, half Bollywood musical soundtracks, from 7am until 11:30pm everyday. Getting good sleep has been difficult.
I got into my first argument, in a very long time, about religion. I was on the train going to Trivandum when a middle aged man came and sat down beside me. He immeiatly drilled me with the normal questions, where are you from, how old are you, are you married, but his religion question was slightly different than usual. He asked whether I was Christan or Catholic. I hesitated for a moment and then told him I was niether. Shocked, may not really sum up the look that was on his face. He started pressing me until I finally told him I had no religion at all. For moment I thought he might faint, and then a steadfast resolve washed over him, or at least I beleive that what it was, because from that moment on he took upon himself to convert me to Catholisism. Over the next 20 minutes he pulled out all the old arguments in favor of accepting Jesus Christ as my lord and savior. He even related an event where he had crashed his motorcycle and walked away unharmed, which, without a doubt proved that there was a god. I was patient and walked him through why he wasn't changing my mind, until, frustrated he said "you are selfish, your just living for yourself, and you obviously don't care about anybody". In response I told him he didn't know me, and that I was through talking with him. The situation escalated until he finally stormed out of compartment I was seated in. I feel kind of stupid for rising for that one, but oh well, it helped make the train ride go quicker.
posted by Robert at 12/16/2005 09:30:00 PM
3 Comments:
Hi Robert,
Try not having a religion and having a babtist minister for a grandfather, UGH! I have had many, many,... of those same argurments with my Mother!
Becka
Just to play devil's advocate: from a Christian perspective, you are selfish. Which is to say, Christianity is based (at least in theory) on a principle of unconditional love, of altruism, of sacrificing oneself for the greater good; so any secular atheist/agnostic (not sure where you stand on that these days) who believes in gratifying one's individual desires is, as he said, entirely selfish. Wouldn't it be great if our so-called Christian government actually behaved in a Christian manner? By considering the greater good, and not thier individual bank accounts? By practicing forgiveness instead of vengeance? In upholding the clear, concise commandment, "thou shalt not kill"? Sigh. This man sounds obnoxious, but I'm sure he had good intentions. You would have saved yourself a lot of trouble if you had just nodded and said "Jesus Christ is our lord and savior, amen."
Mr. Robert,
I apologize that the conversation with the gentelmen in Trivandum didn't go very well. I don't believe that all Christians are like that and I hope your future experiences with fellow believers will be more productive and considerate. No agenda. There will be a time when you will question and I hope that you will ask. :) By the way, what is "Cosplay"?
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