Snake Oil Salesman

Really! He actually claimed to be selling snake oil!

You will need to take our word for it as we did not have our camera with us. But today as we were completing some of our marketing for a few groceries, we saw a real, honest-to-goodness snake oil salesman.

Many times you will see or hear of someone selling something they claim will cure what ails you. Whether in the form of little pink pills or topical ointments or something you drink, their claim is incredibly miraculous. Whatever it is they claim their product will heal (usually the list is long and the disorders unrelated) will be cured in no time at all. (The bottle even says so.)

In modern times, they often use words like all natural, organic, or even non-pharmaceutical. Ironically, while claiming the product has an edge over modern medical technology, they use someone wearing a white lab coat and an endorsement by Dr. So-and-So in their advertising. We recently had a friend tell us all about how a certain all natural bio-enzyme drink mix would cure his diabetes (and a host of other ailments).

But today, snake oil salesman was not a derogatory phrase. On his little table, he had diagrams of eyes and other body parts which would be miraculously healed by the potion he was selling. The potion was actually marketed as snake oil. He embraced his calling.

I suppose we should have investigated his table more closely, if for no other reason than for this blog post. But we were on our way home from marketing and had our hands full. We could only catch glimpses of it as we walked by. Besides, his little folding table on the sidewalk had a pretty good crowd around it. I am sure they were impressed with his product, his knowledge, and the roots he had put down in the community. (Did I mention that his little table on the sidewalk was located within a stone's throw of several jeepneys that make regular departures from town?)

If only deception was limited to snake oil. If only people were not blinded to the spiritual snake oil offered to them everyday.

Grace,
Tom