Peru:The Game

This story happened to a friend of mine. Lets call him Pablo.

Pablo has become a reluctant player in the Peruvian Game.

Pablo set out to make his way to Peru from Ecuador. He began his journey early in the morning from Cuenca. The bus ticket vendor had insured him that the bus would take him to Mancora (Peru). Once he was about 2 hours from the border he was told that in order to get to the border he would have to take another bus. The bus driver kindly picked up his bags and put them on the side of the dusty road. Pablo stood on the side of the highway with Peruvian randoms waiting for some magical bus to take him the rest of the way. This was the beginning of the shenanigans.

Success! A bus pulled up and Pablo was given the opportunity to stand on a sweaty bus for over an hour. Things could have been worse if he had not bought 2 ice creams onboard. The bus pulled up beside a little shack along the highway. Pablo was told to get off again and that he must get some stamps from the immigration officials. Pablo complied and lugged his bags towards the que. He got his stamps and was ready to return to the bus. The bus was gone. Hmm. Pablo had heard that you could take a taxi across the border and so he figured he would do this as there were no other buses coming along.

Pablo, all ready skeptical of all taxi drivers, took a gamble and decided to go with a taxi driver who was inside the immigration office. You can trust immigration officials right? The driver must be trustable as he is in the office with the official. All right. Pablo went with the taxi driver. On his way walking to the cab two Peruvians shook their head at him. He did not realise this at the time but it may have been a warning.

Pablo arrived at a chaotic small town about 10km from the border. The taxi driver told him that he must walk across the bridge to the other side and get a taxi. Pablo had no intentions of walking to the border with all his bags through the chaos of the people. The taxi driver kindly signalled to a taxi driver who was trustworthy. The whole thing all ready stunk to Pablo but Pablo pushed forward and played the cards that he had. He got into the cab and there was a driver and younger man in the front passenger seat. The young man did all the talking and the old man kept quiet.

Pablo was told that he had needed $250 American to cross the border because the officials would make sure he would have enough money to leave the country. Pablo was skeptical and began to argue with the young man. He did not believe their tale but wanted to get moving and was all ready tired. He decided to go to an ATM and withdraw Peruvian Soles because it made more sense to him. With the young mans best acting ability he put his face in his hands and told Pablo that he needed American dollars. Pablo was getting frustrated and told them that the machines would not withdraw American. After arguing again he decided to just take out the American and get on with the whole thing. Pablo took out $240 American and said ¨Vamos!¨. The young man told Pablo he needed $250. He took the cash in his hands and began to count it to show that he needed $10 more.


The cabbies drove him to the Peruvian immigration office. When Pablo was getting out of the cab a police office came up to him.


¨Please sir. Pleeeease. Two dollars for a coca cola. Please sir¨ the officer whined to Pablo.


The young man turned to Pablo and told him to just give him the money. Pablo wanted the police officer to go away so he compromised with one dollar. He was sure to hand it to the young man first and told the young man to give it to the office himself. He did not trust any of these people and did not want to directly give the money to the officer in case it was some sort of trap.

The quiet cab driver walked Pablo to the office and Pablo got his stamps. As they drove him to Tumbes (in Peru where he could then get a bus to Mancora) they kept telling him that he should secure his money and belongings and that it was very dangerous around. They told Pablo that they would protect him and get him to the bus station. Pablo smelt bullshit but couldn´t put his finger on it. They took him to the bus station and Pablo got on a bus to Mancora. He was relieved to be on a bus and was tired from the long morning and border crossing.

He arrived in Mancora and checked into a hotel for a good nights sleep.


THE NEXT DAY...


Pablo awoke to a knock at his door. It was the hotel manager. She held two twenty dollar american bills in her hand. Both bills had holes in them. Pablo rubbed his eyes and stepped outside to talk. The hotel manager told Pablo that the bills were phoney. Pablo picked them up and looked at them. They looked real. She pointed at the serial number on them and both serial numbers were the same. Pablo was tricked. He immediately realised that the rest of his money was probably phoney as well. He had some Peruvian Soles and so decided to pay the manager with that money.


Everything made sense to Pablo. He now remembered small bills being handed off between bus drivers, taxi drivers and police officers. The immigration official must have been involved as well. He realised that it must have been a slight of hand with his money when they counted it. If he had not been so tired he may have been able to prevent this scam. It was a well organized scam and everyone was getting their cut.

As he stood in his room looking at the bills, Checho (23 years old) came up. He told Pablo not to worry and that if he wanted he could take him to the bank to check if the rest were fake. Pablo all ready knew they were but agreed. As he walked with Checho, Checho told him to not tell the manager that he had more phoney money and that he should just try and pass it on. Pablo was unsure about this. When they arrived at the bank the two of them spoke to a bank worker. The bank worker told Pablo and Checho that the answer was quite clear in what should be done with the money. He told them that Pablo should just do the right thing and just try and pass on the fake money. Pablo had $220 american of fake money (2 twenties had holes in them now and would be able to be used). Checho told Pablo that the fake money was really good and that the only reason it didnt work is because the two bills had the same serial number.

Pablo thought to himself for a while. $220 was a lot of money and could go a long way down here. Pablo must try and make his money back! He did not want to play the game but he did not have much of a choice. He was a reluctant player.


Passing it off


The first time he tried to pass the buck was at a souvenir hut in Mancora. He decided that he must buy something that would not require much change because often vendors would have to go to other stores to get change. He decided two t-shirts for 12 dollars would be fine. He picked out his t-shirts and gave the money. The lady told him that she needed change and so she walked off. Pablo waited around browsing through more clothes. She returned and held the twenty dollar bill in her hand.


´Falso´ she said to Pablo.

Pablo drew a puzzled look and replied ´que?´

She repeated herself. Pablo took the bill and carefully looked at it and said no to the lady. The lady insisted. Pablo said it was real and that he had gotten it from the border. The lady shook her head as she knew the crap that went on in that border. She gave Pablo back the bill and Pablo told her that he would return later with Soles to buy the shirts.

This was going to be more difficult then he had thought. The lady had taken the bill to the bank for change and so Pablo was going to have to re-organize his game strategy. Afterall, Pablo was playing to win.



DAYS LATER IN THE SOUTH...


Pablo, who was slightly discouraged from his first failed attempt decided that he would try again. Him and his friend ate breakfast at a restaurant and he used one of his bills. The lady took a while to return. When she came back she held change in her hand.

The first buck had been passed. Ever since, Pablo has been winning. He never wanted anything to do with this game but he was forced into it. Pablo hopes that other tourists are not given the phoney bills as change but cannot think about that right now. Pablo must win back his money which he worked hard to earn.


Pablo must play the game.