Tuesday 19 May 2009

And lo! The heavens opened...

Rainy season arrived yesterday. Just like that. Suddenly the sky was filled with rain, from top to bottom. It hushed and rushed and shushed, a constant static movement that is much harder to conjure up than stair-rods or cats and dogs. Today is different- it hurtled pokers, stabbing at the zinc roof of the school. No classes took place after 1:10 because even the most stentorian tones were hammered into oblivion by the vociferous voice of the rain. The school has no windows, so the sideways pokers gobbed all over my marking. Poor Polycarp is going to think I wept over his grammar. I tiptoed home through today’s deep mud (yesterday’s skidding sandpits). My expedition hurricane umbrella was great. My one smart pair of shoes is ruined. I disgracefully neglected to pack shoe polish.

When I got home, the flying ants were just beginning to swarm. Poor old Pharaoh, those Israelites with their insect plagues knew what they were about. Ant wars of attrition. I buttoned my shirt to the collar, but my eyelashes, ears, and dinner were all richer in protein than usual. I retired, sore beset, to the mosquito net. Now they’re nearly all dead and I have a memento mori gathered in the netting over my head. And no, I’m not getting out to brush them off. Would you?
Rainy season lasts from now to September. Let’s hope I develop Miss Smilla’s feeling for rain.

2 comments:

  1. And I missed it! But with words this good, who needs photos? When they invented the words:picture conversion ratio they didn't account for the value of yours!

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  2. you poor tasty creature! Just as a wet apple tastes lovely wet white girl must taste lovely to the bugs.... xx

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