The sun was struggling to rise, instead, the sky opened and rain didn't just fall, it was coming down in sheets. Like lasagne sheets in a pasta machine. The rain just fell, and fell, and fell. It didn't stop. Until later. Much later. It was like turning off a tap, no dripping. Cleanly switched off. No sooner had the 'tap' been turned off, the clouds parted, and the sun shone down strongly upon the earth, poking its face through a gap, as if it were a cute little kid giving an innocent wave. I forgave the sun for two reasons. Firstly, I enjoy all that the sun brings - light, warmth, vivid colours, the contrast of day and night. Secondly, how anyone could not be delighted at seeing a cute little kid is really not a possibility. Like some other species, humans seem to come out of their hiding places when the sun comes out to play.
When the sun came out to play, it was my turn to play. I ventured to my car (thankful for a four wheel drive in these conditions) and drove down to the township, along dirt roads that had become mud piles and pot holed, thanks to the earlier rain, to visit a friend and her sister. We had a lunch of nashima, boiled lambs' liver, sweet potato leaves, red beans and beef. It was great, filling and just what I needed. We gathered into the car and headed out, into the 'real world,' leaving behind the everything inside the gate. Out we drove, turned left and started on long, open road.... the road that seems to lead, well everywhere. Including to the mushroom sellers who were more than delighted to receive our business.
As the day went on, errands were run, people were dropped off and it ended up being just the two of us. Into the supermarket we went. Shopping on a weekday is great. Shelves are full and there is more than standing room only.
Young children always find it amusing to see mzunggus around here - they stare, giggle, wave and genuinely express their (unoffensive) delight in seeing you. Including the girl in the orange socks. She was one of those cute little girls that you just want to squeeze because of her cuteness. She was about three years old. She had big brown eyes, flawless skin, and a smile that extended the width of her chubby little cheeks. On her legs were a fluffy pair of bright orange socks. And White patent Mary-Jane High heels. They looked quite new and shiny (and clashed horridly with her orange socks), and she probably was so excited about having them that she wanted to wear them and not take them off. As I walked up and down the aisles of the supermarket, I kept on seeing the girl in the orange socks. Her smile and her socks. The power went out and the shop went pitch black - all I could hear was the 'clip, clop, clip , clop' of those little white Mary-Jane's she was wearing. As the power (and the lights) returned, I made my way out of the store, i took a moment to pause, a moment to smile and silently thank the girl in the orange socks for making me smile today.
