Money in the pocket

have money in your pocket. 35 I do this morning-  “I’m full, can I go?” I ask, swinging rnY1eg5 even harder‘  “All right, you can go play,” Ma says with a sigh. I jump Out of the chair and head off to my friend’s house down the Street‘  Though IIIY stomach is full, I still crave salty Snack f00Cl. With the money Pa gave me in In)’ Pocket, I aPPr°ach 3 f00d cart selling roasted  crickets. There are food carts on €V€1'Y Comer’ Selling everything E0111 I  riPe mangoes to sugarcane, from Western Cakes to French Crepes-The  street foods are readily available and a1W3Y5 Ch°3p'These Stands are Very  Popular in Cambodia. It is a common sight in Phnom Penh to see people on side streets sitting in rows on squat 5t°°l5 ‘mung their food,  Cambodians eat constantly, and everything is theffi 30 be 53V0I‘€d ifyou  \X/rapped in a green lotus leaf, the brown, g13Z€d Crickets Smell of 4  smoked wood and honey. They taste like salty burnt nuts. Strolling  slowly along the sidewalk, I watch men crowd around the stands with ,  the pretty young girls at them. I realize that a woman’s physical beauty is important, that it never hurts business to have attractive girls selling  your products. A beautiful young woman turns otherwise smart men ‘  into gawking boys. I’ve seen my own brothers buy snacks they’d never usually eat from a pretty girl while avoiding delicious food sold by homely girls.  At five I also know I am a pretty child, for I have heard adults say to Ma many times how ugly I am. “Isn’t she ugly?” her friends would say ; to her. “What black, shiny hair, look at her brown, smooth skin! That heart—shaped face makes one want to reach out and pinch those dim‘  pled apple cheeks. Look at those full lips and her smile! Ugly!” I  “Don’t tell me I am ugly!” I would scream at them, and they W0uld laugh. donihat was before -Ma explained to me that in Cambodia people  outright comphment a child. They don’t want to call attention to  the child. It is believed that evil spirits easily get -Callous when they hear _ a child being complimented and J. child to the other world.  they may come and take away the H  I