The Theory of Relativity

June 10th 2005
This morning, I go to the scene of the crime to retrieve the car.

Of course, the guard is not here anymore. And neither is the car. As a matter of fact, its on the other side of the street. Whaaaa?

A man comes up to me and shakes my hand. He explains that he was able to pry the lock open and moved the car closer to the restaurant for safe-keeping. I raise my eyebrows and think “damn, he’s good”. I thank him profusely, hand him a $5 and drive off before my face burns off from shame.

Now I think that I should have given him more. Just because he didn’t drive off with the car.

**********

I go the office, ready to tell my morning story to my congolese colleague. In a burst of selflessness, I first ask him how he’s doing, preparing my breath for my story.

He says he’s feeling a little rough because he hasn’t been able to sleep well.

Me: “Oh, really why?”

Him: “Of well, we heard guns shots all night. My kids were pretty traumatized. This morning I found out the two people in my neighborhood got shot (one was a young man I knew) and two others are in the hospital”

Me: “…” (that pretty much shut me up)

Shit, that really puts my little car incident in perspective.

*****
Get a Backbone lady
This afternoon, on my way to lunch, a young man tripped me. He just thrust his foot out and flat out tripped me. I kept my balance and righted myself. I turned around to curse him out, only to see him standing, armed crossed, next his daddy. His daddy was a big soldier with a gun.

Now that I’m behind my computer, I can say it loud and I can say it proud: Asshole. My friend said “Don’t worry. I gave him a dirty look”.

*******

There’s been a noticeable increase of armed soldiers in the center of the capital and they’re making everyone nervous.