Being asked to pay. A long story.

I've read a good amount about corruption at the highest levels here as well as lower level corruption in the form of bribes, though I've never experienced that. This week I had two encounters that didn't quite feel like bribery, but still angered me.

In the first incident a friend with a car was driving me and another passenger back into town from the outskirts. We passed a soldier on the road asking for a ride. As it was dark and raining we gave him a ride for the half hour drive to town. My friend had plans so he let me and the soldier off at an area where we were parting ways. The soldier told me he was heading my way and we hailed the next taxi that came by. (One always shares taxis in Freetown, so this was normal.) I didn't pay attention to the soldier's conversation with the taxi driver but he apparently indicated I would be paying for him and then hopped out at his stop and I proceeded to my stop. As I tried to leave, the driver asked for the soldier's fare as well and I quickly realized what had happened. I refused to pay. We argued for a while but in the end I paid my fare only and then left.

The fare was small. And in retrospect, I felt bad that the driver was missing out on what he was owed. But it was about the principle. I shouldn't have had to pay for the soldier. Additionally, my friend had just given him a ride through the rain which was a very significant favor, making the offense seem worse in my mind.

The second incident was a bit more direct. I was on my morning walk to my office downtown and a police officer walked towards me, heading in the opposite direction. He waved and, with a smile, greeted me with his hand outstretched for a handshake. Plenty of strangers say hi to me but few want to shake my hand. We exchanged "good mornings" in Krio and he asked where I was heading. I told him to work downtown and he explained that he was headed out to his post in the next neighborhood. We were still holding hands in a long handshake and he leaned in to tell me his problem: he needed money to take a taxi to his post. I had just passed the spot on foot where he was heading and I wasn't about to pay for him. I told him that I didn't have money for a taxi and that's why I myself was walking and quickly left him there in the middle of the street. I didn't want to wait for a response.

Again, I was angered about the principle, not the money. I can afford to give someone change for a ride. I get asked for money plenty and I give out change or buy someone food frequently. But I'm really not OK being asked to pay for two grown men, both employed and paid by the government. (The government fails on a lot of fronts but its instincts of self-preservation are good enough to see that the military gets paid).

Both incidents were very frustrating. I do wonder if I my internal reaction was overblown. Some people are bound to look at me and just see dollar signs and I almost feel as if I can't blame them. I think my patience for small issues like this might have just worn out.

All that being said, these incidents have been the exception and I'm still glad to be here!