Indian Cobbler

Jaisalmer, Rajasthan, India, Asia

Camera: Rolleiflex

The story:  The cobbler Babba watched me approach with a curious smile. I greeted him with a proper Hindi introduction of "Namaste Gi" and proceeded to sit on the stool in front of him. He bobbed his head from side to side, as only Indians do, in an affectionate welcome and questioned my needs with a look. I removed my well-worn Teva sandal and handed it to him. He grabbed it, looked it over, experimented with the Velcro straps (smiling to himself in approval), and then looked up as if to say, "what do you need?" I pointed first to the worn rubber sole and then to the adjacent scrap of tire rubber. He nodded and held up a 100-rupee note. I laughed and reached out to retrieve the sandal, as his first asking price was absurd (the exchange rate was approximately 25 Rupees to the Dollar). He held onto the sandal, and through a hand gesture asked me how much. I hesitated, deep in thought, for the appropriate time, and then offered him 5 Rupees. He chuckled, shook his head and held up two 10 Rupee notes. I shook my head again, reached out and touched one of the notes and holding one finger. Again he said no. So, as was expected, I stood up, making to grab my sandal and leave. Babba stopped me of course, nodded his head from side to side, and went to work on my shoes. A quick sanding, a slap of glue, a quick cut around the outside pattern to cut off the excess rubber and my Tevas were fixed. I paid the 35 cents, said goodbye (in Hindi) and walked back the way I had come.