Oct 27 9:08 pmThere is a spider just outside our back porch that has built a massive and intricate web. It has not been disturbed by the wind or rain or falling debris of the last few nights. The boys have named him (or her) Rock Star and she has been with us for several months now. She has become our version of Animal Planet. We observe her activities everyday and even managed to catch her repairing her web. She seemed to be using her long thin legs as needles, sewing the threads in a delicate pattern. We have seen stranded insects caught and awaiting death. And who could resist witnessing the feast?!
It seems that Rock Star has either given birth (although we did not notice any egg laying or hatching) or made a friend. There is a Rock Star, Junior now in residence slightly below the original. Every so often I stop being stunned by the beauty and wonder if I should worry about a Hitchcock-ian overtaking. Mostly I don’t. They are doing a double duty of pest control and scientific entertainment.
I have been noticing an abundance of small wildlife lately, perhaps an indication of truly slowing down and adopting the African pace and rhythm. Mohamed even pointed out several snails along the path that were so cleverly camouflaged it took some minutes to spot them. The one crawling (do snails crawl, or slither? Neither word seems apt. Maybe creep, or slide- although slide is too fast. Truly, the snail jut seemed to be, in this spot one moment and in that spot the next) by the front porch posed for a photo.
The time off was good for scouting around and noticing things. Lamine was able to join us for a few weeks and that was eye opening as well. His presence swooped down on all of us and he became a celebrity overnight. There is a not-so-subtle gossip ring that sends news of campus from one house to the next. I’ve never actually heard anything but I know it exists. People just show up at my house (take Jacques for example, who delivered the drums- he never asked where I lived, he just showed up one Sunday morning. I don’t even think he knows my name.) They greet me with questions about events I am certain I never shared. Such is living on the island, a public-private affair.
Everyone seemed to know of Lamine’s arrival and with the assistance of Nabih (the new mayor in town) he met many people living on campus as well as most of the maintenance crew. Within a day he had met a fellow countryman from Senegal and discovered where to purchase West African goods. In 2 days he had convinced the gardener to finally trim the opening through the stone archway (apparently Nabih had given previous orders not to cut the vines) and to begin turning the soil for a long awaited garden. By the morning of day 3, on my way to school, one of the maintenance guys stopped me to ask where I’d found such a great African husband? A regular rock star.
Of course it helps that he came bearing gifts. The children were thrilled to have “Christmas in July” and Mama Vero felt happily blessed with her supply of children’s clothes. On day 4 she was giggling like a schoolgirl as she invited her friend to come and sample some rice with chicken and tomato sauce. She simply could not believe that he had cooked it and how! Of course, I’d been inviting her to eat with us for weeks but maybe my invitation was lacking in pizzazz.
In no time, it seemed I had to run off to Uganda. That was an experience unto itself and though I missed everyone, I don’t regret going. The return passed just as quickly, though it seemed some of the initial fervor had worn off. The boys were as excited as ever to watch movies and play tennis or soccer with Baba. I had the chance to see that being married to a rock star isn’t always what it seems.
I also realized a bit about my own extended family and how our cycle of meeting and parting created for me a familiar and comfortable sense of being. I used to visit with my aunt every summer and on holidays. There was a great feeling of being on vacation together and setting aside the everyday worries and duties to just enjoy being together.
But now we’re back to school and routines and back to being just three, unless of course you count the other Rock Star, oh and Junior makes 5.
