A Strange Sense of Honor

I went to a "musical protest" today at Qalandia, the massive checkpoint that separates Jerusalem from Ramallah. Students from a musical school gave an impromptu concert just before the metal-barred walkways that bring you to passport control. (Spotted -- Sandy Tolan, author of The Lemon Tree, a book I did not care for, sorry Sandy!) While there, a young boy, maybe 8 or 9, whom I've seen before, tried to sell me a bottle of water for 5 NIS. I declined, but he persisted, and when I was about to give in, another young boy informed me that the water should only be 2 NIS, not 5, which I assumed anyways.

So I handed the boy 2NIS and told him I didn't want any water. "Bideesh," I said, as he profferred up the bottle, "I don't want it." So what does he do? He sticks my two shekl back in my front pocket and walks away. He'd rather overcharge me by 3 than accept 2 outright. I'm having trouble explaining the logic of his morality, does anyone have an idea?