KATHMANDU BABY

Musa, Emmanuel and R hit the road;  sometimes road,  sometimes track,  always red and dusty, for Matagelema village.   It is in the Lower Bonthe Chiefdom and it is where Emmanuel’s ‘family’ live.

The Journey is long and hot.  I have turned  a sort of orange from the red dust.  We stop at Moyamba junction  and eat chicken and rice.   Hot, dirty and tired not the  best entrance.

And then we arrive and  I am engulfed in buwaas (hello in mende) and hugs  by the seemingly endless  siblings aunties, uncles, nieces and nephews.

They have not seen their brother Emmanuel for over two  years: they are joyful and happy.  I wonder what they make of the usually white,  but now orange on account of the road trip, girl that there prodical son has rocked up with. 

So covered in red dust someone asks if I’d like a shower.  Of course I would like a shower.  A shower is exactly what I need.  I thought.

Emmanuel’s sister, Edna,  whisks me off for the shower.  I have a towel and a bar of soap. I am looking  FORWARD  to this.  I’m outside, I’m in some trees, there’s a bucket full of cold water and there seems to be a lot of gaps in the tree structure. 

The sister can see I am struggling and seemingly unable to shower.  She tells me what to do and I follow her command. We hang a sheet so I’m not more exposed to the endlessly inquisitive stares.  She tells me to get undressed.   When almost completely naked I signal to sister that I am now able to shower with a bucket and cup.  I’m trying to impress his sister, confident with my figure, I’m still  not certain that being totally naked in front of her is going to be that impressive.   It’s cold but refreshing.

Next we are sitting in a room, Emmanuel, the  taxi driver, a mum , a step mum , sisters, brothers and the head of the family: the dad.  There is now an official introduction of the ‘girl friend’ for the dad.   The step mum embraces me, the mum looks like she might cry: I want to. The father rescues it, ‘we’ve always wanted one like you in the family’.