"Three days." I round the corner and see a man sitting on the cement stoop outside the barber shop. I can only assume he is speaking to me with his English. "It's been three days since I've seen another white person."
I immediately wonder where he's been since Abidjan has never struck me as that isolated. A few other random thoughts run through my mind though all I say is good morning.He's happy and somewhat surprised to hear my English response. "It's a bonus," I say and continue with my travels. Maybe he was hoping for more, but I just didn't have the power of small talk in me that day.
I see him a few times after that and wonder what his story is. He is obviously new to being a stranger and seems to be fumbling around the neighborhood, guided by several locals.
I finally hear bits and pieces and it's a sad story. He met a girl online...the infamous dreaded yet hopeful online connection. They talked, she asked for money, he sent it. And then he said he was coming to visit. Except when he showed up, she disappeared. No more online connection, no more answering her phone. Excuses followed by silence.
I imagine both characters in this story and all possible outcomes. He flew all the way to some random small town in Cote d'Ivoire. What a fairy tale if she had been sincere. But he is not typically attractive, a bit overweight, maybe that was enough to turn her away? Maybe she was just fishing for cash, or amusing herself on lonely afternoons? Clearly he is open to adventure and taking risks and going after a dream.Or perhaps he misinterpreted the whole thing and is a desperate stalker. Maybe she is hiding out in fear.
It turns out a family in the neighborhood met up with him in Port Bouet and (randomly?) offered to put him up for a few days. He was searching for a place to rent and I didn't get the ending. How long is he planning to stay? What will he do? What does he do that allowed him the free time and funds to fly around the world on a whim? And how did he meet that family anyway? What kind of conversation led to "Yeah, why don't you come stay with us for awhile, you random stranger you."
I haven't seen him lately. Maybe he has packed up and returned back home. Or maybe he packed up and went off in search of another adventure. Or maybe she came to her senses and decided to meet him after all.
