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Trincomalee, Sri Lanka 1975<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n She grabbed my hand and practically pulled me down the gangplank. <\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n By the time we left the dock and walked along the main road to town, I could feel negative energy building and billowing around us. I stopped twice; once I suggested we go back to the boat. <\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n \u201cWhy?\u201d Mia asked. <\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n \u201cSo you can change clothes; show respect for the local culture.\u201d <\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n \u201cIt\u2019s not my culture,\u201d Mia retorted. \u201cAnd I\u2019m not local.\u201d She kept walking. <\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n I trailed behind with a growing feeling of dread.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n \u201cCome on,\u201d she said. \u201cI want to show you something.\u201d <\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n By the time she neared the entrance to the souk, word had spread about an indecently dressed woman walking the main street in the direction of the souk. An angry, vocal mob awaited her arrival. <\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n I stopped again. Mia shrugged her shoulders and motioned me to hurry up. She was in a defiant mood and seemed clueless to the mounting danger. <\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n \u201cMia,\u201d I begged. \u201cPlease go back to the boat.\u201d <\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n \u201cWhy should I?\u201d she yelled back. <\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n \u201cThey\u2019re angry at you.\u201d <\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n \u201cWhy?\u201d She tossed her long, dark hair aside and kept strutting toward the entrance. <\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n \u201cBecause of the way you\u2019re dressed.\u201d <\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n \u201cI don\u2019t care,\u201d she announced, walking on laughing. <\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n As hostility swelled, the crowd grew larger. More villagers joined to show their support. <\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n I stopped every few feet, hoping to reverse this scene. <\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n When Mia reached the main entrance, the crowd surrounded her and began heckling her. They blocked her from entering the souk.<\/span><\/span> Whap! Zap! Thud! I heard Mia scream. The villagers were hurling sticks and stones at her. <\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n \u201cRun,\u201d I yelled, \u201cback to the boat.\u201d <\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n Whap! Whap, whap, whap! Mia screamed again. I saw her turn and push people aside. <\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n \u201cRun!\u201d I shouted. <\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n She took off running in the direction of the harbor, with the crowd chasing close behind. They continued to pelt her with whatever they could pick up and throw. <\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n I slowed to a stop, took a deep breath, and covered my thumping heart with outstretched hands. I listened to my heart beat, and hoped Mia was outrunning the angry crowd.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n The Tamil man from the cafe (where Charles and I had breakfast) was standing outside his restaurant as I passed by. He smiled and greeted me in English. \u201cYour friend behaved badly,\u201d he said. \u201cIndecent expo\u00adsure is against the law in Sri Lanka.\u201d <\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n \u201cI know,\u201d I said. \u201cI\u2019m sorry.\u201d I shook my head, not believing what I had just witnessed. How could anyone travel the world (as she had) and not be aware of local customs in different countries. A total lack of respect. <\/span><\/span>Chutzpah, <\/i>as they say in Israel.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n \u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Trincomalee, Sri Lanka 1975 She grabbed my hand and practically pulled me down the gangplank. By the time we left the dock and walked along the main road to town, I could feel negative energy building and billowing around us. I stopped twice; once I suggested we go back to the boat. \u201cWhy?\u201d Mia asked. … <\/p>\n
\nWhap! I heard the loud thud of a rock hit a wall. And another Whap! \u201cOh my God,\u201d I gasped. They\u2019re attacking her. <\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n