Searching for Wendells Treasure
I had the opportunity to travel to India in 2006 on assignment. Here's an interesting story on one of my travels.
Location: Jaipur, Rajasthan India, 2006
We travelled deep into the city, passing cows and goats and stopping to ask people directions, until we got into a narrow alley way, where only one car would be able to fit. We went down the dirt road and hit a mound of dirt, probably due to the construction that was going on.
Wendell was determined to get his rug. The rest of us wanted him to get his rug too. So, he hopped out of the van and proceeded down the dark alley way with his cell phone at ear, being guided to an apartment somewhere deep in the alley. He told us to wait and that he'll be right back.
Of course, worry started to spread quickly. What if he or we didn't come back? Also, at the time, we didn't have the amenities of GPS to identify our location or the social networks that can literally connect us with anyone in the world. It was just the three of us and strangers. Plus, it was getting dark.
I jumped out of the van with the sense curiosity of the surroundings. There were people that were curious, as well; many walking by would stop and look into the van.
I popped out my camera and started taking photos. Some kids walked by and I started taking photos of them. Then a whole bunch of curious kids came and before I knew what was going on, the whole neighborhood of kids came out to join in the fun!
Some had never seen a digital camera before and when I replayed the video in the viewer, their look on their faces were of utter awe.
You will see a moment in one of the videos, where there was a truck that apparently blocked our only way out. A couple of guys hopped out of the truck and proceeded toward us. But they passed us; I think I smiled at them and they smiled back. They were probably as suspicious as I was of them! I'll never underestimate the power of a smile.
Three hours had already passed and I had made quite a few friends who taught me a few words in Marwari, the local dialect. The kids were amazing and fun. They took turns using my digital camera to film and watch their art unfold in my tiny Canon SD410 screen. It was as if they saw magic. A look I'll never forget in their faces...
Wendell eventually came back, toting his new custom-made rug. He was the happiest that I've ever seen him on the trip.
Because of the uniqueness of the item, it necessitated traveling deep into Islamic neighborhoods.
You see, Wendell was a devout Muslim. The rug that he wanted so much was a prayer rug which is a very important to religious followers. It contains the Islamic prayer inscriptions for reciting a daily set of prayers.
This was in 2006-where there were a few trains that were blown up; along with a few mosques or temples. The U.S. Dept. of State warnings issued red alerts for that area. Determined to live our lives the way we wanted to, we decided to go anyway.
What I learned that night is that, even without all of the hi tech equipment to keep us "connected" to the world. There are many who are not.
I met lots of kind and wonderful people that night. Sometimes, we have to put our trust into the goodness of humanity - all it takes is a smile and a "Hi. What is your name?"
A conversation.
posted by Franklin at
9:18 PM
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