Boy With Brooms And Baskets

Malacca, Malaysia, Asia

Camera: Rolleiflex

The story:  Malacca is an old trading town built by the Portuguese on the west coast of the Malaysia Peninsula. Streets wind around and over the many canals that make up the lifeline of its trading fleet. Each little shop has its own flavor carrying everything from exotic spices to functional household tools. As in most third-world cultures, the family is thoroughly immersed in the enterprise, each member making a contribution to the operation. It is amazing how much responsibility is passed onto the young. In many cases, their sales skills are more effective than their parents'. They use their youth to disguise an otherwise overly aggressive, cocky bartering manner. With their innocent smile and eager persistence, it is hard to be resolute in one's bargaining. So much for youth labor laws.