I snapped a phone photo of these two women just after I watched them negotiate with a man for some extra fuel coupons right in front of my car. The quiet haggling went on for less than a minute - I would have missed it had it not been so close - and then he disappeared for a few minutes. They quietly opened their car boot which was two in front of me, and about four cars from the garage security gate. Not long later he reappeard with two containers of fuel, winked at the security guard who was there to ensure this kind of thing never happens to United Nations fuel, popped them in the boot, and they then drove in to fill the car with more coupons.
I am still grinning at the blatent subterfuge of it all. At first, I felt a little incensed with this incident and the other creative ways I obeserved at least 5 entrances to the queue in front of me during the day, but as I spoke with people afterwards, they expressed the attitude of 'you do what it takes, in times like these' and I did not meet a single Zimbabwean who felt these women or illegal filling of containers was wrong. After a full day in line for just 25 litres I think I understand a little more!
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