In the U.S., what happens if you try to buy something in a store but don't have the money for it? Unless there is some incredibly generous person behind you who will give or lend you some money, you're probably walking out of the store empty-handed.
In Morocco, at least sometimes, the clerk lets you take the item anyway. "Bring the money later, when you have it," the clerk will say. I have seen this happen a couple of times. Once, not only did the shopper walk out with the grocery item he needed, but the clerk also lent him a 100 dirham note.
When we ate at Al Kasabah in Asilah, the server gave us our tea for free--just because he liked us (or because he liked the Ws' little girls, anyway). Also in Asilah, when LW saw a painting she liked but didn't have the money for it, the artist offered to let her take the painting and pay later, as she was able.
When we stopped at a market in Rabat and asked about some fruit we didn't know the name of, the vendor put a handful in each of our grocery bags.
These seem to be fairly ordinary occurrences here. The only people I have heard say anything about these incidents are people like me--outsiders. I can only guess about the origins of such trusting and generous behavior, that it must have something to do with Islam and with the idea of hospitality. But I'm not really that interested in analyzing it. I'm really more interested in just appreciating it and trying to absorb it. We can all benefit from trying to live each moment with a spirit of generosity.
No comments:
Post a Comment