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Noel and Tarisai come to my house
after basketball. They have an idea
how to earn school fees that they’d like to discuss.
Please sit, I say. No, we should walk to where
we can make US Dollars. They tell
me to bring my camera. We go for a walk
through the woods. Noel has a plastic ball
and we play pass, pick wild fruits, talk
in Shonglish, share jokes. We stop at a cave
and they ask if I’ll take a photo of
them. Is this how you’ll make money, I say.
Of course not, says Tarisai, zviri fun
chete. I take a few and we continue
on our way. Noel has questions about
America. I want to know is it true
that every one has a water spout
and that they eat dogs in China. He throws
a rock at a tree. A bird flies away. This
is it, Tarisai says. We wanted to show
you this. He points at a young, naked
boy – dirty and covered with flies. Come, take
a photo of this one, he says. Send it
to USA. Tell them to send money – save
a poor, dirty boy’s life. They are having fits
of laughter, slapping each other five.
Send them my name, says Tarisai. No, wait,
first let us go and gather some more flies.
I take a picture of them laughing. Take
one of this half-built hut. Show them how poor
we are. Let’s go, I say. We walk to Noel’s
house and have sadza with his grandmother.
His aunt gives me roasted corn and boiled
groundnuts.

Ben Berman