david korte photographs

“Wen de devil come fron een de bush, yor wa ain een de Poro muh go eenside yo hus befo he kesh you!” (Cracking the Code). A country devil, allegedly from Nimba County, Liberia, passing on the street in Sinkor, Monrovia.

I excused myself from “Stop ‘n Shop”, leaving our shopping cart in the care of Lisa, heading out to see a country devil that was causing a small commotion in the street. The devil turned, swinging down toward Cheeseman Street, as I approached. He was soon made aware of white-man behind him, and turned to perform some acrobatics. I was swarmed by his drumming minders, who “encouraged” me to offer $5 for this confrontation. I say what! Way too much, I have $1. Another minder says $1 fine and holds a bag for their loot, to the dismay of the first spokesman.

Back in Stop ‘n Shop, we are checking out and Lisa asks me for $1. I say I don’t have, I gave it to the devil. Our cashier looks up, wide-eyes in disbelief: “you pay the devil?…”