Reproduce One

I had just graduated High School and spent a month in Uganda. The month changed my life, but it also came with some unexpected moments that I will never forget! Almost every day, our bus would be stuck in traffic. One particular day, we were stuck right next to a market. I loved sitting by an open window and observe Uganda passing by me. This was the wrong day to do this!

As I watched the people work the market, a woman came running up to my window. It HAD to be my window!! She waved baby clothes above her head so they would be right in my face. “You buy! You buy!” she yelled to me.

“No thank you.” I hoped my polite rejection would satisfy her, but I knew how markets worked. They do not take “No” for an answer.

“Yes. Your babies need this!”

“I don't have any kids.”

“Then go and reproduce! Reproduce one so you can buy this!” This was only the tenth time the subject of me not having kids came up, and I was rather sick of feeling like such an old maid right after high school, but I was never told to go and reproduce right then and there!

She continued to go on and on about my reproduction when my friend Diego got into the scene, “What is she going on about?”

“She wants me to have a baby so I can buy her stuff.”

I was never more happy to be sitting by a guy than I was at this point! Diego leans in front of me, and in the sternest voice I have heard come out of him states, “Ma'am! We do not need it. And we do not want it! Please leave us alone.” Then he shut my window, points his finger in my face, and says, “Don't open that window again, and stop sitting by the window!” I listened for the rest of that bus ride, but went back to sitting by the opened window.

Even though this was awkward for me, I can see how desperate this woman was for money. She was telling a seventeen year old to go and get pregnant, simply to buy some clothes. I am so blessed to be from America where I do not need to worry to such extremes about anything. Of course worry happens, but I do not need to be so forceful in selling something to get a few more dollars.