My daughter likes to pick things. We have since implemented a rule "you have to ask before you pick things". She picks flowers, she picks leaves and plants.
Well the other day, she picked a pumpkin. Our neighbors pumpkin. Our Papua New Guinean neighbor's pumpkin.
Assuming they were growing it to sell at market, we decided my daughter could work for the 5 kina, and then apologize and return it.
So we walked over, and when we arrived everyone shouted "Sydney's here!" apparently all the neighbors parents and kids know her. It was an interesting study in how well my daughter has made friends and how well the Papua New Guineans communicate and remember names.
The mother refused the money, she said she wasn't going to sell it, it was for them to eat.
"mi no kros." (I'm not mad.)
She wouldn't take the money and was glad we offered. But still I feel badly that my daughter ruined something they were growing to eat. She did it innocently enough, not understanding but still, picking something without permission was breaking the rule.
And now, she's off scott free. Over here the nationals do give their children a little more slack than I'm used to seeing.
I will update you if this means in the future I owe this family a favor or not. I'm unsure on how that system works quite yet.
