アフリカとネックレスと私

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船便の荷物がシンガポールに届いたので，ダンボール箱を開けながら，たくさんのガラクタを見つけた．モロッコで買ったカバン，ミャンマーで買ったスカートみたいな民族衣装，ベンガル語の絵本，ヨーロッパ最西端に行った証書もどこかにあるはずだ．そんなゴミゴミした中に小さな木の箱があって，中を開けるとネックレスが２つ出てきた．僕はそういう装飾品をつけないし，そもそもこれらをネックレスと呼ぶのか，ペンダントと呼ぶのか知らない程度の認識だ．何でこんなもの持ってんだろうと少し悩んで，すぐに思い出した．

もうすぐ９年も前になる愛知万博のことだ．

ちょうど地元で万博が行われるということで，一時帰国した時に行ってみたのだ．万博では「日本館」「イギリス館」・・・というように，国や地域ごとにそれぞれの展示物を入れる建物があった．パビリオンと呼ばれていたと思う．面白いもので，その国の日本での人気によって，長蛇の列ができて数時間待ちということもあれば，簡単に入れるところもあった．国の豊かさを反映しているのか，単独の国で大きなパビリオンを出す場合もあれば，中米パビリオンとか，アンデスパビリオンとか言ったように，小さな国が共同で１つのパビリオンを持つ場合もあった．

僕は少しひねくれているのと，判官びいきの気があるのかもしれない．わざわざ長蛇の列に並び，簡単に情報が手に入る大国のパビリオンに入るのはつまらないと思った．アフリカパビリオンを見つけて，少しも待たされることなく中に入った．

正直なことを言えば，アフリカパビリオンに何があったのか詳しく覚えていない．大きな展示物も記憶に残っていなければ，小さな置物に感銘を受けた覚えもない．ただ１つ覚えているのは，陽気な黒人バンドによる演奏があったことか．今でこそ，アフリカという括りが「雑である」という感覚を持つようになったが，当時は「これがアフリカか」くらいの印象を持ったのだと思う．ブラブラと建物の中を歩いて，出口近くの土産物屋に立ち止まった．

土産物屋の中には黒人女性が３人いた．率直に言えばやる気も商売気も感じなかった．その内の一番若い１人が，数字程度の簡単な日本語を話して，客とお金のやり取りをしていた．その客対応をしている子は20代くらいだろうか，当時の自分の年齢くらいだった．聞いてみるとケニア人だという．日本に住んでいるわけではないと言った．この万博ためにケニアから来たのか，経緯はわからない．何にせよ，この盛り上がった万博会場の中で，人気のないアフリカパビリオンの土産物屋でつまらなさそうに座っている彼女らが，何だか少し気の毒になった．僕はただの万博の客だった．だが，もしこのためにせっかく日本に来たのなら，少しくらい良い思い出を持って帰って欲しいと思った．

「僕が日本語を話して，お土産を売るのを手伝うよ．その代わりに，10人に売ったらこれをタダでくれるかな．」僕はちょうど隣にあったネックレスを指しながら提案した．ネックレスなんてどうせ身につけないし，特に欲しいと思わなかった．先進国のパビリオンに入るための列で時間を浪費するよりも，アフリカパビリオンの土産物屋で売り子をしていた方が自分にとって有意義な万博になると思った，それだけである．理屈はなく，ただ直感的なものだ．３人でどのような議論をしたかわからなけど，僕の提案はすんなりと受け入れられた．後に日本の就職活動で苦戦したことを思えば，これが大学院生の時に日本でもらった唯一の内定だった．

とはいえ当時の僕は一介の理系大学院生でしかなかった．野村証券での営業経験もなければ，P&G でのマーケティング経験もなかった．彼女らにとっては，日本語を話せること以外，何も僕から得られるものはなかっただろう．だから最初は店に来た日本人客に声をかけて，質問を受け付ける係を始めた．英語を話せるケニア人の子との間を取り持って，商品の説明をする役割だった．そのうち少しずつ勝手がわかってきて「この商品は全てアフリカ全土から万博のために集めたんです」とか「これはケニアのシマウマの骨からできてるんです」とか，その場で思いついたこと吹聴した．たくさんいい加減なことを言ったが，「彼女たちのため」という大義名分にそれは正当化された．

お客さんは少なかったので，休んでる時には４人で雑談をした．普段はアメリカに留学してることとか，アフリカには行ったことがあるかとか，兄弟はいるのかとか，別に大した話ではなかったけど，僕は楽しかったし，奥でぼんやりしていたオバちゃんたちも，さっきよりも楽しんでいるような気がした．

結局２時間くらい働いたのだろうか．最初の約束だった10人の客は取れなかった．ネックレスはもらえないだろうと思った．でもそれはどうでも良かった．お礼を言って，そろそろ帰ると伝えたら，英語をあまり話さなかった最年長のオバちゃんが，奥から出てきた．

「最初に約束した通り，私たちを手伝ってくれたから，これをあげます．」

「そして，あなたに私たちのことを覚えていて欲しいから，これをあげます．」

と，僕が最初に選んだネックレスと，彼女らが選んでくれたネックレスを１つずつくれた．それがこの２つのネックレスだ．９年間で一度でもこれを身につけた記憶はないし，これからも身につける予定はない．それなのに僕はこれらのネックレスを手にした一部始終を覚えている．そして，あのオバちゃんが言った通り，僕は彼女たちのことをまだ覚えている．

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74 thoughts on “アフリカとネックレスと私”

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