Massive Mumblings from Malaysia

Fleeced
And I’m not talking about the sheep

Good news to report: Gavin surprised me by giving me back the month’s rent and just charging me for the 10 days over that I stayed. I got that and the security deposit back Tuesday when I moved out—no hassle or anything as I’d been warned.

Of course, this was after him telling me it was “none of my business” how much he paid and that I was unappreciative of the hidden costs and all he’d done for me (TV/fridge not supplied by landlord, but by him; he invited me on his vacation to Sabah and I didn’t have to pay for anything once there, etc.). He was trying to guilt-trip me, but maybe he did have a point (and instead of telling him off as I had envisioned, I cried). I am leaving the situation feeling okay about it and a little wiser. He lied (or at least mislead me, the difference is a matter of semantics), but at least he gave me the money back. The rent I was paying was actually reasonable for the area and building, so I don’t feel terribly cheated.

Choose your own adventure

The Egyptian badminton players hadn’t called me for over a week and I was worried that they had lost my number and I’d never see them again! I couldn’t get in touch with them because they didn’t have a phone, though I’d begun to think of ways to stalk them.

Then I got a call from them Monday night, asking me to come hang out. I met up with them and they told me how all their money had been stolen on Saturday. They had a six day break for Chinese New Year, but wanted to practice so went to the courts to play. They’d been warned not to leave their passports and money in the hostel where they were staying, so they had it all with them. They left it in a bag inside a bigger bag for their racquets at the edge of the court, but were engrossed in their game. They found the smaller bag strewn under some chairs nearby. Luckily their passports and plane tickets were not taken. But between the three of them, they lost US$500 and AUS$100. They’d made a police report and gone to their embassy—but to no avail. They went to see this Egyptian businessman they’d met several days before, but he had just gone back to Egypt for the upcoming Muslim festival. They had enough money for the hostel that night, plus about 20 RM.

They were really distraught—each road they could think of was blocked and they didn’t know what to do. They wanted to find a job so they could stay and keep practicing. Otherwise, if they went back, they came all this way, lost a lot of money, and then didn’t even improve. They thought it was pretty likely that once the businessman was back, he would be able to help them out. But until then…

I had just found out that Gavin was going to be giving me the money for the month back—money I had assumed I had lost. I thought about giving it to them—but was worried I was being stupid. I trusted them—I believed them. But then I thought that I needed to be harder and more skeptical…But the looks on their faces made me sure they were telling the truth—or else very good actors. I saw their police report and couldn’t think of any other solutions. I felt like it was really random that I met them (remember, I skipped getting on a train which lead to my meeting them—something I’ve never done before or since).

So I offered to lend them money. I said that they could pay me back whenever they could—one month, two months, someday when I went to Egypt and they were there. They looked relieved—not having wanted to ask for it, but wanting it. I didn’t want to have to, but thought that the new, wiser, street-smarter Jill should insist on some sort of receipt or something. They said they’d give me whatever kind of guarantee I wanted—photocopies of passports, etc. But I felt bad about following through on that—even though they suggested it. The way I figured it was, I met them by chance and was getting the money back by chance—that somehow things were happening in a way that it seemed like the thing to do. I decided that even if they conned me, I was okay with that because I was so sure they weren’t. Also, if I were in the situation, I would need someone to be there for me…this would be a kind of good karma insurance. I said the words aloud to my mom: “Remind me that if I’m getting cheated by them, I said I was prepared for that and can’t be upset.”

They looked so sad. Mostafa, the 19-year old who had won the bronze medal at the African Cup in August, said in Arabic that he “wanted his mother.” I told them the story about my first night being here and needing a hug and told them that I wanted to give them both hugs (Shehab, the oldest at 22, had stayed at back—the bulk of the money was his and he has decided to call it quits and return to Egypt). So I hugged 21-year old Sherif and then Mostafa. Mostafa was seriously going to cry. I just wanted to make it all better for them. I totally knew how it felt—but they’d lost on a much larger scale than I had.

It wasn’t until about half an hour after leaving them that I had a stroke of genius! I had wanted an Arabic teacher from Egypt and hadn’t been able to find one. When I first met them, I hadn’t asked them because I knew they were practicing day and night and assumed they didn’t need the money. But now things were different! I have money within the Fulbright designated for language study and have been really hoping to make some progress on Arabic (since Malay isn’t a language I’ll probably have occasion to use much again in the future). I was very happy that I could give them a job! And that way they wouldn’t have to pay me back—they’d just have to work it off.

After I moved Tuesday night, I went to meet up with them (I even took them chocolate chip muffins I’d made). I told them my idea and they were very happy about it. I can have classes whenever, so that way they won’t have to miss any practices. I also took them to the last Egyptian restaurant I’d found, in hopes the owner could give them a job or something, too. But it turned out they already knew that restaurant and the owner had said to come back in a few days to check (but he wasn’t there then). I gave them 500 RM, about US$130 and me planned to meet today for our first class at 8:30 pm.

I was at the designated place on time, but they weren’t there. I waited. And waited some more. I desperately wanted them to show. I thought, they’re Egyptian; Egyptians are always late. Each minute made me grow more anxious and worried. I heard the call to prayer, a sound I haven’t heard in a long time actually, and sent up a prayer that they’d come. (Random thought: what’s the difference between a wish and a prayer? Return to that at a later time. If you have thoughts, please share.)

So, now this is where the fun comes in. You get to tell me the ending of this story! Did they come? Or call to explain why they couldn’t? Were they lost? Practice ran late? Or am I a terrible judge of character? They never showed up? They never called?

I want to hear your predictions! (That is, if anyone is even reading this blog anymore!) In a few days time, I'll post the verdict. But I want comments first!