Market Pervert

It seems that since we have been here, Katie has been getting the shorter end of the stick on numerous occasions (i.e. malaria, wasp attack, sprained bones), and last week’s market day (August 17th) was no exception. We had just finished our internet portion of the day, and we were on our way to the Cookie Lady’s stand to purchase our weekly ration of sugary sweets. The Cookie Lady is a tiny, plump woman who finds delicious biscuits and cookies that she thinks obruni girls with a sweet tooth (like us) would enjoy. Close to her stand, a man was urinating in the street without even the decency to turn away from the traffic and majority of people walking. As soon as he saw us and while his junk was still exposed, he began yelling and asking us various questions in Twii, interspersed with some phrases of broken English. Katie and I passed without making eye contact... I did say to him that “No way am I talking to you while you’re doing THAT”. Thinking back to the event now, I probably shouldn’t have said anything at all because it might have given him courage to do what he did next. He approached us at the Cookie Lady’s stand, grabbed and held Katie’s hand in his own hand (which a minute before had been stuffed down his crotch) and began asking her questions about where she was from, her marriage status, and other of the usual prying inquiries that are made by men around these parts. Katie pulled her hand away and uncomfortably tried to end the encounter. I tried to help by politely asking him to leave us alone. At this point he got angry, and out of the blue grabbed Katie’s breast! I couldn’t believe what I was seeing! Katie of course yelled at him to not touch her. I was about to punch him the face, or at least slap him, but decided against it. I’m not sure why I didn’t try to physically fight him, but I was also frightened... I did however began to push him as hard as I could and I yelled at him repeatedly to “Turn around and walk away!” For effect, I also added a few more colourful words in between breaths (wouldn’t you?), which caused him to become angrier. I think my outburst really surprised him because he seemed a bit confused and embarrassed after a few moments. I was still sticking my face in his face, yelling at him and pushing him away from Katie and I, when some people nearby, including the Cookie Lady, pulled the man away and forced him to leave us alone. Minutes later, Katie seemed ok and my adrenaline rush was beginning to fade. I still wish that I would have hit the asshole... How dare he do something like that? Nkoranza is a small place and I only hope we don’t run into the pervert again. If we do, he better watch out because next time I don’t think I would be able to control my anger and I would surely be more violent.