Tuesday, October 18, 2011

People Are Watching

Isak Dinesen's book Out of Africa tells the story about a Kenyan tribesman appearing at the door of the book's heroine in Nairobi to ask for employment. She said, "Yes" and he turned out to be a marvelous servant.

After three months of employment he came and asked for a letter of recommendation saying he wanted to go to Mombassa to wait for a Muslim sheik. Upset that she was losing him as an employee, she offered him higher wages.

He said, "No." That he had taken a job with her because she was a Christian. Now he wanted to work for a Muslim for three months. After observing a person of each religion for three months, he wanted to decide for himself which was the true religion.

The heroine was aghast. She said, "I wish you would have told me why you were here. I would have tried to treat you better."

People are watching.

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