An unnamed American man sits by a river in Africa, awaiting the return of his friend who crossed earlier. He is unwilling to cross the river himself as he has a cut on his leg, and is concerned about microbes in the water. When his friend sends back a second friend to fetch him, the American continues to refuse to cross the river, but this doesn't sit well with the second friend's ideas of how a guest should be treated, and he insists. The second friend, learning of the American's odd concern about the water, ropes a local fisherman in to tow the American across the river in his canoe. Ultimately none of the three are happy: the unwilling American, the put-out second friend, or the fisherman, and the American keenly feels discomfort at the idea that his behaviour will make the other two men draw their own conclusions about the conduct of Westerners.