COUNSELING

Jim, another volunteer, had asked if he could visit me one night. I didn't know JIm very well, and so I was curious why he wanted to see me. I had tea ready when he walked in (TEA WAS ALWAYS READY IN AFGHANISTAN!). We both sat down at the same time. Right away he got out why he was visiting, and said, "My wife won't sleep with me anymore, and I want to kill myself. I have a rope and I tried last night, but I couldn't do it." I said, "That's O.K. I will help you do it right tonight." I was only joking, of course, but this psychological ploy did not have too much of a cheering effect on Jim. He stared stoically down at his feet. After my wry joke which I had meant only to lighten things up, I told Jim I was sorry to hear this news. He left, and he probably thought I was a strange bird. We didn't talk after this, and he never committed suicide as far as I know. A few marriages occurred during my stay in Kabul, but most of us were single, widowed, or divorced.