Aunty Sue announced today (Friday) that she is marrying Mr Babia on Wednesday!!! She was as giddy as a school girl when she told us! She is 61, white, and from Britain, and he is 38 and originally from Nigeria. She is keeping it a secret from Haja until after they have tied the knot because she would surely try to sabotage it and call Mr Mike, who is quite likely to be furious. Before we came we were given a stern lecture from Mike about not hooking up with the locals, but it turns out everyone is doing it (literally), even Mr Mike and Haja, per previous post. Sue invited us to the wedding and we will be the only guests on her side, so we are quite flattered. Fortunately Friday is our last day so we should be able to avoid most of the fallout no doubt aided by our complicity. One of Sue's children told her congrats, another that she was crazy, and the third that she'd be there to pick up the pieces. Ide and I think it's totally awesome. We have met Mr Babia and he seems very honorable, a smart fellow, and jolly good looking. He is also a teacher and they are planning on moving to the UK when Sue's volunteer program concludes in August. How exciting!
At school, Mr Samuel Le Ferve, a pleasant, although somewhat leery, slender hollow-eyed 30 year old who looks 40 has told me that when he gets married he only wants to marry a girl from New Zealand. He has asked me to find a New Zealand girl for him, who he can at first communicate with by phone and email, although preferably phone; and decide whether their love is suitable before taking the relationship further. So all you single New Zealand girls out there, here's your chance! And, in case you were wondering whether flogging is part of the marital vows, NO! Mr Le Ferve would never hit his wife, although he is prepared to be slapped around and even take a broken jaw from the woman he loves. He does however, beat his pupils because it is the only way to get them to behave (quote). He has told me that I need to have at least one child because I need someone to take care of me when I am old. Fair enough. He also invited me to church this weekend, but rats! I have to pass because we are off to a day at the beach. I will try and think holy thoughts instead.
Mr. Le Ferve:
As if that wasn't enough romance in the air, today one of the boys - Issa - slipped me a note with firm instructions on the outside not to open it until I got home, and not to tell Miss Jones that he gave it to me. It begins:
To Ms Justine Cutler - please read this letter.
I love you Miss Justine Culter when you are going in New Zealand please I want for you to send for me phone two sims. please in the bosom of your mother pleas for your mother pleas
I beg you in the sake of your mother pleas
don't fore got me
Is dat why I write this letter to you I don't have mother were I live with my ante more. Please don't make Miss Jones see this letter the preso who write this letter is called Issa Kamara
Issa:
This of course is very touching - much more so than the girls in Ide's class who have started simpering 'djiggy-djiggy' at him, followed by peels of giggles. It took a while to press out of decorous young Ishmael that this means something along the lines of 'come have sex with me'.
On the way home I bumped into a lad called Patrick, who is a student at the neighboring university. He was so excited to hear that a white person was teaching that he is going to come and watch me on Tuesday. Little does he know that my version of teaching constitutes poorly supervised mayhem rather than any actual education.
