The Entrepreneur

The volunteer hopped on an early marshrutka bound for Ak-Cuu, where he was to deliver a teacher training, and handed the driver a 100 som note. The driver grumbled something at him about not having change and the volunteer shrugged his shoulders. He grumbled some more, kept the bill and continued driving. The volunteer sat down assuming the change would come when he had it. It never ceased to amaze him, the lack of change at almost any small stand: “You’d think they’d want business,” but several times he’d been turned away for trying to pay for something with a note worth four dollars. The keen business acumen of this morning’s entrepreneur was accented by his barking at another patron who hadn’t fully closed the door. When a ride only came every half-hour, the driver could afford to skimp on the customer service. After a few more stops he grumbled something in Russian and handed the volunteer a few coins. He thought he said, “Here’s your change from a hundred,” but it also could have been, “Next time, ride a horse.”