Soles, Stems and Seeds

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Casey, a hippy, had filled Ben, Kylie and Taylor in on the intricacies of San Pedro (“Cactus is a particularly phallic plant, getting a woman to work over it changes the whole experience”). The drug-based conversation had Ben finally feeling brave or perhaps drunk enough to buy some weed.

Ben had been warned by just about every person he had met – from travellers to an elderly gentleman who was a native of La Paz – about the dangers of buying drugs in Cuzco’s Plaza de Armas. You risked being sold oregano or baking soda or the far scarier prospect that the dealer was working in tandem with the police. Indeed, the latter had happened to Ben’s brother and Taylor in Madrid a number of years ago. Nevertheless tonight, Ben decided, he was going for it.

No sooner had Ben made the Cathedral than he was approached by a man selling cigarettes who muttered the magic word, “weed?”

Ben assessed the situation. At least four uniformed police officers were within sight but the offer had the reasonable, if easily transparent, cover of a suitcase of cigarettes. Stopping to talk wasn't costing anything.

“Quanto questa?” Ben asked.

“150 soles,” the man replied. Ben had no idea what that might get him but knew that home in Australia $50 (the equivalent of 150 soles) was going to be too much.

“20 soles,” Ben merely wanted a far lesser amount than was offered. However, the cigarette salesman took it as bartering.

“50 soles,” he replied. A third of the price in four words? Ben was suspicious. He said he’d think about it and went to join Kylie and Taylor on the cathedral’s steps, where a couple of local kids were trying to sell them finger puppets.

Soon the cigarette salesman was sitting on the same step, a few metres away, whistling at Ben. Ben casually got up and joined him. “I want to see it first,” Ben said.

The cigarette salesman produced a pack of cigarettes with a small zip-lock bag filled with greenery hidden behind it. He pulled a small stem of bud from the packet and offered it to Ben. It didn’t smell like oregano.

“50 soles,” said the cigarette salesman.

“Not here – police,” said Ben, now very aware of the four uniformed officers. “You’re not going to screw me are you?”

"No, no problem. Come with me," said the cigarette salesman. Reassured, Ben wandered after the man into the cloisters where the packet of cigarettes and the zip-lock bag were swapped for Ben's 50 soles and the two went their separate ways. Ben stuffed the baggie into his undies where it remained until he returned to his apartment a few hours later and inspected the goods: Leaves, stem, seeds and even a couple of buds! Ben's first foray in to buying drugs on the street lasted him a week's worth of giggly nights.

Though he wondered whether, at 5 for 5 soles, Taylor got a better deal on the finger puppets.

http://s7.zetaboards.com/PPooDD/topic/8387284/1

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