“I bless the rains down in Africa.” Toto was completely spot on. Seriously, I bless it. After just a few showers, the landscape has become a violent green. Weeds and bugs have stormed my village. I guess I don’t bless the bug part. They’re loud. It’s like there’s an all night Quinceanera inside my roof, every night. But in all honesty, I find watching the grass grow here fascinating. It’s just like the Planet Earth “Great Plains” episode; except that instead of watching it at home with a syrah in my hand and covered in my brothers velvety Snuggie, I’m here, seeing it in real time, without my shirt, a package of stale cookies, and zero alcohol.
I recently went and came back from Dakar for med purposes. I’m fine. Just had migraines somethin fierce. Amanda told her counterpart that I had “pain of the head.” Her response, “I knew he would get sick, he’s small.” I saw her when I visited Amanda (Issatu) recently. The conversation went as follows:
“You are a baby.”
“What?!”
“You are a baby. Issatu’s cat is bigger than you…(points to blown up picture of Amanda’s cat)”
“Umm…”
“When you go back to America, you will be bigger than Issatu’s cat. If God wills it.”
I guess telling people they look like a child is universal.
Ages are an interesting thing in this country. People don’t know them. My brother says he’s maybe 20, he’s definitely no more than 13. He has a slingshot. Has deadly aim. Killed a squirrel and a rabbit the other day. Needless to say, I ate squirrel and rabbit that night. Not bad, not good.
I’m preparing to go to Kedougou, southern Senegal, for the 4th of July. Jessica and Andrew came down from Kaolack. A sandstorm hit when Jessica and I were out. What also hit was Jessica’s giardia. Then the rain came. It was heavy, fast, and there was a lot of it,…I guess the same could be said about the giardia. Time to rest up. Celebrating America’s birthday is very important to me.
