Trust

Recently I had a few day’s break between work while overseas – so I visited the Masai Mara in Kenya. It exceeded all my expectations – but that’s another story. This story is about trust. I’d been in Armenia for a couple of weeks and the battery in my digital camera was depleted. I’d left the charger at home. I was about to go on safari in Africa with no camera! No problems – I’d buy a charger, or at least a new battery at Dubai Airport. No luck – nothing of the sort is sold in the airport. Damn!

So I arrived in Nairobi with just one night to resolve this problem before flying to the Masai Mara the next day. In the gift shop at the hotel there were no suitable batteries, but I met Victor. He said the shop was about to close, so he could take my camera and some cash to a store across town and either buy a bettery or charger. So I handed over my camera (sans memory card) and 4000 Kenyan shillings (about $75 Aussie dollars). He’d call me later to let me know what transpired. I went off to have dinner and then realised what I’d done! Would I ever see Victor, my camera and money again? He did call – to say the shop was shut and didn’t open till 8 am the next morning. I was leaving at 8.30. It didn’t look promising.

After breakfast I checked out and waited anxiously for Victor to turn up. I got a phone call. He was stuck in traffic and couldn’t get to the hotel before I left. He’d meet me at the airport. Yeah, right, I though.

And he did. Camera, battery fully charged was handed over, receipt for the charger and my change, and the charger (a strange Chinese contraption that Victor (thankfully) explained how to operate. My faith in humans was well and truly restored. Thanks Victor.