Open Hand, Open Heart

The Balinese love to talk to you. "Good morning, Miss!" "Gutentaag!" G'Day, Mate!" "Yes, Sir, Hellooooo!" Transport, handbags, massage, nails, Bintang, leather goods, you name it, they want to sell it to you and I don't blame them. Tourist money is good money and money they wouldn't otherwise see. But talking isn't enough to get a tourist to buy something, so when they can they offer their hand.

It's much harder to refuse an open hand then an open suggestion but let me tell you they don't like to let go. I've seen several tourists spend much of their energy saying no, no, no no, no and trying to walk away to no avail. If you offer your hand, which you can't not do, then you'd better be ready to buy something or lose your hand.

So it is even on the beach. If you've ever traveled to popular beaches in Mexico, Brazil, Bali or elsewhere you know the story: full-serve beach chairs, ice-cream, beers, massage, manicures, you name it, it's on the beach and it's coming to you. Considering that I was just out for a walk, I wasn't so concerned with getting trapped by all the opportunities to buy things, plus I have become well practiced in saying "No." So when Dego approached me to buy a seat on a beach chair for the day I told him I was just walking.

We chatted for a bit, he offered cheap beer and was shocked at my refusal (did I mention it is 10:30 in the morning?). I told him I was boring and we laughed. Then he asked where I was from, what was my name and he offered his hand. I told him America, Jen, offered my hand in return and asked his name. Dego shook my hand and I shook back. Then I held on firmly. I wasn't letting go this time. He asked if I would come back later, have a beach chair then? I told him no, but he could come with me. Now. I started to walk away and pulled him along with me.

He was genuinely surprised at this twist and quite a bit humored, too. He looked back at his friend on the beach chair as if to say, 'Get a load of this?' but his friend was busy rolling off the chair laughing. The Balinese are giggly and it is infectious. We were all laughing at this point and Dego dropped my hand, ran off towards the ocean and dove in. I waved goodbye to his friend and slowly walked my way.