Monday, September 11, 2006

Ouesso Diary #1

OK, folks, I'm getting pretty disgusted with my photo program. I'll try again tomorrow, but for now you'll just have to be happy with this story from my journal on August 25th...

Last night I went out just before dark to buy more kerosene. Judging by the huge sinister billowy clouds, I knew I didn’t have much time. I walked briskly to the store and by the time I left with my bottle of green fuel in hand, the rain was starting to fall. I was in a hurry and the streets were nearly completely dark and my glasses were blurred with rain drops, so I turned down the wrong street and ended up lost in the midst of some houses as the rain really began to pour. A man stopped me to say, “Lady, you better hurry.” Yeah, thanks.

Once wet, my slip-on plastic shoes were useless for getting anywhere fast, so I took them in my hand and ran down the dark sandy roads in the general direction of the house with rain dumping on my head, praying I wouldn’t step on anything sharp or gross. I made it home not having gone too far out of my way and without being completely soaked, feeling a healthy sense of satisfaction at my little adventure. It’s not every day a white girl runs barefoot in the rain down a Congolese dirt road in the dark!

1 comment:

Anonymous said...

You're so cool, Jess! :)