Lucia has something to say

Monday, November 15, 2010

Beyond the Wall

I love. To walk. Along the beach. Filling my pockets with shells and beach glass. So an unexpected day. In Mombasa. On a work trip. In Kenya. Presented me. A day at the beach. Which I have craved. And dreamed about. For months.

My hope. Was to walk. But. As I neared a low wall. It started. Jambo. Hey lady! Jambo, lady! Good morning! There they were. The young guys. Selling stuff. Who I remember. Making a beach walk impossible. On my last visit. Hopeful entrepreneurs. Making a walk down the beach. Unbearable.

So I park myself. In the shade of palm trees. For the day. With a book. And burn my face. To a bright red.

The other memory of Mombasa. Is getting up one morning for breakfast. There were beautiful, young Kenyan women. With their plates piled high with food. Their companions portly, jowly, aging German men. In shorts. And socks and sandals. I wanted to erase this impression on this visit. Of what my Kenyan friend calls “a few bad apples.” But last night. At the table next to me. He. Said to Her. You must be hungry! You have so much food on your plate. This is our last night, darling. Together.

And now. Mombasa. Probably rightly so. Continues. In my mind. Without changing.

Friday, November 12, 2010

What Could Have Been

It could have been. A bad situation. In a long, slow swing. Around a corner. The driver squarely hit a pedestrian. He fell. Onto the hood. If we were. Stuck in traffic. In a different part of Nairobi. We would have been. Surrounded. Often. After an accident. Bystanders. Steal from passengers. Out of anger. Thankfully. No one was hurt. And the guy graciously went. On his way. As did we.

Monday, November 08, 2010

Tropical Rain

Just a few. Days ago. In Wisconsin. I was craving. A tropical rain. The kind. That falls in sheets. Straight down. Nonstop. And now. I sit. By the window. In Nairobi. And watch. The November rain. Pour. And I feel. Refreshed.