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MARCHING POWDER

Rusty was having trouble getting the money together. I continued to ring everyone I knew. I begged the inmates in San Pedro. I contacted all my old negocios friends in Europe, promising them a shipment. But none of them gave me a cent. I might have been able to set up a big deal, but that would have taken months to organise and the case was already coming to a close.

After the second-last court date, I sent another message to the judges saying that I couldn't get them all the money on time. They agreed to accept four thousand dollars between them. I tried all my contacts again, but the situation was hopeless. In fact, I had probably made it worse; now that the judges were expecting a bribe, they would be even angrier when I couldn't give them anything.

As the date for the judges' decision drew closer, we still had no money to pay them. I tried to stay positive by thinking about the many people who had helped me since being in prison. As the final court date approached, however, I became desperate. As a last resort, we sent an email to every tourist whose details I had, begging them to send any money they could spare, no matter how small the amount. I promised to pay it all back when I got out. Most of the tourists responded. Many couldn't afford to lend me anything, but some could.

All in all, with the money from Rusty's friends and the tourists, we got together just over two thousand dollars. I didn't want to send anything less to the judges than the full amount because I knew they wouldn't accept it, but Rusty insisted.

‘Look, Thomas. We'll offer them half now and half when they let you off.’

‘No, man. You can't do that in Bolivia. They won't trust that I'll pay.’

‘Well, why should we trust them?’

‘That's just the way things work. They won't accept half. You have to show them trust.’ Rusty had been in Bolivia for only four months, but he kept arguing because he thought he knew better than me. He started giving me another one of his lectures.

‘Thomas, listen. You bribed the colonel, he took the money, then betrayed you. You bribed him again at the airport, he took the money, then betrayed you again. You paid the lawyers, they took your money and then betrayed you. You paid the first judge, he took your money and then betrayed you. Can't you see a pattern emerging?’