River Vendors

Irrawady, between Mandalay and Bagan.

I am on a river boat steamer, on my way to Bagan. You can see the shadows of the superstructure of the boat on the water. The steamer anchors beside a small town, twenty meters or so from the shore. A clutch of enterprising women wade into the river with trays of food on their heads, calling out their wares and their prices. They gesture to us to drop our money onto their plates. Presumably they will then throw our purchases up to us, five meters above them. Before any of us can pick up the courage to go through this risky transaction. The boat lifts anchor and moves on. The women ride the wake of the steamer moving slowly and silently through the turbid waters back to shore.